Many people have heard the name Helen of Troy, whether or not they have read the Iliad or the Odyssey. She was “the face that launched a thousand ships” and is well-regarded for her inhuman beauty. However, the latest film adaptation of Helen of Troy is beginning to spark some heavy controversy.

Director Christopher Nolan, known for “Tenet,” “Inception,” and “Oppenheimer,” is currently working on his upcoming film, “The Odyssey,” a sprawling adaptation of Homer’s epic. The Odyssey, in summary, is an epic poem by the ancient Greek poet Homer that follows the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, who travels for years to return home after the Trojan War. The war was sparked after Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, was seduced by Paris and taken to Troy, where she refused to be returned to her husband, Menelaus. 

Helen is characterized as having fair, radiant skin, referred to as “white-armed” by Homer, and long, thick hair, often described as golden or blonde. She was also said to have sparkling blue or green eyes. As a Spartan queen, she was considered the pinnacle of Greek beauty, with an oval face and a straight nose. 

However, recent reports claim that Lupita Nyong’o will play Helen of Troy in the upcoming film, and people online are not receptive to the casting choice. Though the casting has not been officially confirmed, fans of the classic tale have been very vocal about their disapproval. With fans already debating the film’s historical accuracy before the rumors, this announcement has seemed to throw gasoline on the fire. 

Even Elon Musk commented on the alleged casting by stating that Christopher Nolan has “lost his integrity.” 

Although a beautiful woman in her own right, Lupita is not Greek, nor does she resemble Helen of Troy. Color-blind casting does not work well; it upsets audiences and distracts from the story when a character looks noticeably different from how they were previously described. Additionally, race-swapped casting has never actually been color-blind, rather it has been color-selective, as it is primarily white characters who are race-swapped. If the situation were reversed, for instance, with a black character swapped for a white actor, it would cause public outcry. An excellent example of this can be seen in the casting of the new Black Panther, as many people online have said the actor playing the superhero is not black enough. And yes, if an actor is cast as a certain pre-established character, they should actually look like that character, but that goes both ways. It would be highly hypocritical to promote race-swapping in films, but only push for one group of people to have it happen to them. 

Overall, the general moviegoing audience is tired of Hollywood race-swapping characters and altering source material in its adaptations. Lupita Nyong’o does not fit the character of Helen of Troy, and if true, it will likely be the film’s biggest controversy. Just because The Odyssey is a story does not mean that the culture it originated from should not be respected. Ultimately, The Odyssey is a Greek story, written by the Greeks for the Greeks, and that should be taken into account and respected, just as any other culture should when adapting one of its stories.