Billionaire Elon Musk has publicly criticized Christopher Nolan's upcoming film "Odyssey" for selecting a Black actress to portray Helen of Troy, igniting an unexpected controversy online. Speculation has circulated on social media that Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong'o, who joined Nolan's production in November 2024, might play the role of Helen in this adaptation of Homer's epic poem, although her specific part has not been officially confirmed. A social media user posted that Helen has historically been described as a fair-skinned woman with blonde hair. Musk responded to the post, directing his criticism towards Nolan rather than the actress. "Chris Nolan has lost his integrity," he wrote. Reactions from netizens were swift, with many pointing out that "The Odyssey" is rooted in mythology rather than recorded history, and that adaptations frequently reinterpret classic characters. Others suggested that criticizing a role that has not been officially announced might be premature. Some commentators also noted that during the height of the classical era, "Ancient Greek culture" extended into North Africa. Consequently, the idea of featuring characters without a deficiency of melanin in a historically authentic depiction of the story is not entirely far-fetched.
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