Lupita Nyong’o is giving her perspective on the poisonous on-line criticism of the Oscar winner enjoying Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey.
In a new profile in Elle, the actress was requested in regards to the blowback amongst predominantly right-wing pundits who’ve contended the Black actress shouldn’t play “the most beautiful woman in the world” in Common’s big-budget tackle Homer’s basic fable.
First, Nyong’o reminds readers “this is a mythological story” — not, as its typically been characterised, some kind of historic drama.
“I’m very supportive of Chris’s intention with it and with the version of this story that he is telling,” she mentioned. “Our cast is representative of the world. I’m not spending my time thinking of a defense. The criticism will exist whether I engage with it or not. … It’s quite something to be a part of The Odyssey, because it is so grand. It spans worlds. So that’s why the cast is what it is. We’re occupying the epic narrative of our time. … I was so deeply honored to be entrusted with the role.”
Nyong’o additionally dismissed the concept of specializing in the character as “the face that launched 1,000 ships.”
“You can’t perform beauty,” she mentioned. “I want to know who a character is. What is beyond beauty? What is beyond looks? That’s the thing about doing such a well-known text, which has been studied and interpreted and derived from. The research could be endless. The good thing about working with a writer like Chris is that it’s on the page. The investigation starts with the pages you’re given. That’s what I based it on.”
The backlash hit the mainstream media after conservative political commentator and Every day Wire host Matt Walsh took exception to the casting on X final week. His post, which featured a screenshot of The Hollywood Reporter‘s Tuesday reporting on Nyong’o’s roles in The Odyssey, caught the eye of Elon Musk.
“Not one person on the planet actually thinks that Lupita Nyong’o is ‘the most beautiful woman in the world.’ But Christopher Nolan knows that he would be called racist if he gave ‘the most beautiful woman’ role to a white woman,” Walsh wrote. “Nolan is technically talented but a coward. Too afraid to do anything that even slightly challenges the spirit of the age.” Musk replied rapidly, writing, “True.”
Within the new interview, Nyong’o added, “I can’t spend my time thinking about all the people who still don’t love me. You’ll find the representatives who believe in you, and you’ll get on with it. I want to believe I’m built to last.”
