The casting of Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy in The Odyssey not only drew a big reaction from fans but also from the actress herself. Nyong’o recently expressed that her “stunned” reaction to the casting comes due to the complexity of her role.
Lupita Nyong’o was ‘stunned’ about getting cast in The Odyssey
In a recent interview with Comic Book Resources‘ Rachel Leishman, the Black Panther star revealed that she was left shocked when Christopher Nolan asked her to be a part of his upcoming fantasy epic.
Notably, Nyong’o is not only portraying Helen of Troy in The Odyssey but also her twin sister, Clytemnestra. With both siblings suffering from a pain of their own, the prospect of playing two roles with different conflicts had the actress “stunned.”
“I think this movie is a lot about the cost of war on everybody,” Nyong’o noted. “Those who go to war, those who are left behind, or those who caused the war. For these two women, they have experienced this time very differently. Their anger is a product of their unique experiences. I was stunned when Chris told me he wanted me to play these two iconic characters. The goal for me was to try and create distinctions that were internal. And I think that’s something else about working with Chris. He’s really interested in the interiority. That then, hopefully, comes through in the film.”
The news of Lupita Nyong’o’s casting as Helen in The Odyssey has drawn intense criticism online. However, the Academy Award winner isn’t letting the chaos affect her. Reflecting on the backlash in an earlier interview, Nyong’o said, “I’m very supportive of Chris’s intention with it and with the version of this story that he is telling. 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.”
Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on ComingSoon.
