Elon Musk has sparked conversation by alleging that director Christopher Nolan cast Lupita Nyong’o and transgender actor Elliot Page in the forthcoming Greek epic, “The Odyssey,” with the primary aim of courting awards. The tech mogul, aged 54, took to social media to voice his views, joining a chorus of controversial opinions surrounding the film’s casting choices.
Musk’s comments come amid a backdrop of disturbing online discourse questioning Nyong’o’s beauty as a Black woman and contesting Page’s masculinity. These discussions have intensified as the film’s premiere date of July 17 approaches.
Christopher Nolan, in a feature for Time Magazine published on Tuesday, unveiled that Nyong’o, 43, has been cast as Helen of Troy, a character revered in Greek mythology as the most beautiful woman. The actress will also portray Helen’s sister, Clytemnestra, who is wed to Agamemnon, adding depth to her involvement in the film.
However, the casting has not been without its detractors. Conservative commentator Matt Walsh quickly took to platform X to criticize the choice of Nyong’o, claiming, “Not one person on the planet actually thinks that Lupita Nyong’o is ‘the most beautiful woman in the world.’” He further suggested that Nolan’s decision was influenced by a desire to avoid accusations of racism had a white woman been cast in the role.
Conservative commentator Matt Walsh immediately took to X to insult Nyong’o, writing: ‘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,’ he added.
‘Nolan is technically talented but a coward. Too afraid to do anything that even slightly challenges the spirit of the age.’
The Tesla chief responded to Walsh’s comment with a simple: ‘True.’
Elon Musk blasted Christopher Nolan and his casting of Lupita Nyong’o and transgender actor Elliot Page in his upcoming Greek epic The Odyssey
Nolan revealed that 43-year-old Nyong’o will play Helen of Troy on the big screen, the most beautiful woman in Greek mythology
Musk accused Nolan of casting both of the stars because ‘he wants to win awards’
Pictured: Matt Damon as King Odysseus
In another post, a user asked: ‘Why is Christopher Nolan like so many other directors so keen to race swap white characters?’ Musk replied, ‘He wants the awards.’
Walsh shared another post in which he claimed people would be ‘driven to murderous violence’ if Sydney Sweeney had been cast in a film as ‘the most beautiful woman in Africa.’
‘Absolutely true,’ the billionaire wrote. ‘Such hypocrisy in Hollywood.’
Rumors swirled earlier this month that 39-year-old Page had been cast as Achilles, the legendary hero of the Trojan War – a prospect that seemingly also drew the ire of Musk.
Responding to the unconfirmed rumors on X, he wrote that the idea was ‘one of the dumbest and twisted things I’ve ever heard.’
Even after it was announced that Page will portray the character Elpenor, Musk reposted a wildly offensive tweet that read, ‘I’m not mocking her masculinity. I’m denying its existence.’
Elpenor, the youngest member of Odysseus’s crew, dies on Circe’s island after falling from a roof while drunk and left unburied – an event that later haunts Odysseus on his journey home.
While initially troubled by his death, Odysseus is later confronted by Elpenor as the first figure he encounters in the Underworld, a moment that becomes a moral turning point in the story.
Musk liked posts ‘denying’ Page’s masculinity, who will portray the character Elpanor
The Odyssey, which is set to hit theaters on July 17 (pictured: filming in Morocco)
He realizes his crew is more important to him than his own glory as Elpenor begs not to be left unburied, and he ultimately returns to bury his shipmate at the edge of the Underworld.
Meanwhile, this marks the latest outburst from Musk over casting in The Odyssey, after whispers began growing in February that Nyong’o, an Oscar-winning actress, would be portraying the iconic character.
He amplified an X user who claimed that casting her as the Helen of Troy would be ‘an insult,’ to Homer, the novel’s author.
The user’s reasoning, they said, was because the Greek poet described the fictional character as ‘fair skinned, blonde and “the face that launched a thousand ships” because she was so beautiful that men started a war over her.’
Musk later appeared to agree, writing: ‘Chris Nolan has lost his integrity.’
