Elon Musk renews attacks on Nolan’s ‘Odyssey’ over Lupita Nyong’o casting

Elon Musk is again targeting Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic “The Odyssey,” suggesting the director cast Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy due to awards considerations tied to Academy diversity standards.

The renewed criticism came Tuesday after a Time magazine profile confirmed that Nyong’o will portray both Helen of Troy and her sister Clytemnestra in the film, which opens July 17. In response to an X user who asked why directors are “so keen to race swap white characters,” Mr. Musk replied, “He wants the awards” — a reference to the Academy’s diversity and inclusion standards for Best Picture eligibility.

Mr. Musk also weighed in on a post from Daily Wire host Matt Walsh, who wrote that no one “actually thinks that Lupita Nyong’o is ’the most beautiful woman in the world’” and called Mr. Nolan “technically talented but a coward.” Mr. Musk replied with a single word: “True.”

Representatives for Mr. Nolan, Universal and Ms. Nyong’o did not publicly comment on Mr. Musk’s remarks.

It is not the first time Mr. Musk has attacked the casting. Back in February, when Ms. Nyong’o’s role was still a rumor, Mr. Musk declared on X that “Chris Nolan has lost his integrity” after an X user called the prospective casting an insult to Homer, who described Helen as fair-skinned and golden-haired.

The controversy also extended to actor Elliot Page, whose undisclosed role in the film drew online mockery. Actor Kevin Sorbo wrote that he could not have devised a better strategy to tank the film. Mr. Musk amplified that criticism as well.

Whoopi Goldberg pushed back on “The View,” telling her co-hosts that Ms. Nyong’o is widely considered one of the world’s most beautiful women.

“I don’t know if you realize this, Lupita is also considered one of the world’s most beautiful women,” Ms. Goldberg said, adding a pointed message to Mr. Musk: “I would suggest looking in a mirror if you have any concerns about people’s looks.”

Mr. Nolan, speaking to Time, defended his choices. The Hollywood Reporter reported that he cast rapper Travis Scott as a bard to honor the oral poetry tradition at Homer’s work’s core, saying, “This story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap.” Anne Hathaway, who plays Penelope, told the magazine that the star-studded cast — which also includes Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Zendaya — stayed in budget accommodations on location in Sicily to keep money on screen.