Lupita Nyong'o responds to racist criticism about her role in "The Odyssey"

Actress Lupita Nyong'o, 43, responded to racist comments linked to the announcement of her participation in the feature film "The Odyssey", directed by Christopher Nolan. The actress suffered attacks after it was revealed that she would play Helen of Troy, who in myth is considered the most beautiful woman in the world and who would have "taken 1,000 boats to sea", due to her forbidden marriage to Prince Paris.

Racist comments saying that she would not be suitable for the role mentioned her appearance, highlighting the actress's blackness as something that would not "suit Helena". Billionaire Elon Musk even said that Nolan chose her for the role just because he "wanted awards".

The actress gave an interview to Elle and responded to the criticism: "This is a mythological story", she argued. "I really support Chris' intention with it and with the version of the story he's telling. Our cast is representative of the world. I'm not going to waste my time thinking about a defense. Criticism will exist, whether I respond or not," added the actress.

About the beauty of the character, the actress says she believes her interpretation should go beyond that. "You can't interpret beauty, I want to know who she is," he declared. For her, working with an ancient and well-known text is the whole point of the work. "The advantage of working with a writer like Chris is that it all starts on paper. The investigation starts with the pages you receive. That's what I based it on."

Nyong'o was not the only one in the cast to receive prejudiced comments. Travis Scott and Elliot Page, who play undisclosed roles, have also faced racist and transphobic comments. But Nyong'o says the cast's diversity is a strength: "It's an extraordinary thing to be part of 'The Odyssey,' because it's huge. It spans worlds. That's why the cast is the way it is. We're living the epic narrative of our time."

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Source: CNN