Elon Musk has spent months questioning Christopher Nolan’s decision to cast Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy in The Odyssey.
And while the Tesla owner believes the director “has lost his integrity,” Alec Baldwin thinks she’s perfect for the job — calling her “the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Baldwin defends Nolan’s cast
Alec Baldwin posted a photo of Lupita Nyong’o on Instagram. ZUMAPRESS.com : MEGA
Baldwin posted a photo of Nyong’o on Instagram on May 15, writing, “Dear Elon … but she IS the most beautiful woman in the world … Alec.” His wife, Hilaria Baldwin, seemed to agree, dropping heart emojis in the comments.
Despite appearing in neither of the film’s two released trailers, Lupita has been attached to The Odyssey since November 2024.
Christopher put months of speculation to rest on her role in a recent Time magazine profile, confirming she will portray both Helen of Troy and her sister Clytemnestra.
Who is Helen of Troy?
Helen of Troy, who will be played by Lupita Nyong’o, is known as the ‘most beautiful woman in the world.’ ZUMAPRESS.com : MEGA
In Greek mythology, Helen of Troy is known as the “most beautiful woman in the world.” She was abducted by the Trojan prince Paris, which led to the Trojan War.
Helen is one of the most iconic figures in Homer’s The Iliad and also appears briefly in The Odyssey, where she shares a scene with Telemachus, the character played by Tom Holland in Nolan’s film.
Lupita’s second role, Clytemnestra, is Helen’s sister and the wife of Agamemnon, the Greek commander played by Benny Safdie. The film follows Matt Damon as Odysseus, one of Agamemnon’s soldiers, as he spends 10 years trying to find his way back to Ithaca after the war.
‘Hypocrisy in Hollywood’
Elon Musk called Christopher Nolan’s casting decision an example of ‘such hypocrisy in Hollywood.’ ZUMAPRESS.com : MEGA
Among the general public, The Odyssey has been one of the most anticipated films of the year. However, for Elon and some of his allies on the right, it has become a debate about race.
On May 13, the billionaire replied to a post by conservative political commentator Matt Walsh, who wrote on X, “Not one person on the planet actually thinks that Lupita Nyong’o is ‘the most beautiful woman in the world.’”
“But Christopher Nolan knows that he would be called racist if he gave the role of ‘the most beautiful woman’ to a white woman,” he added. “Nolan is technically talented but a coward. Too afraid to do anything that even slightly challenges the spirit of the age.”
Elon agreed, replying, “True.”
The following day, Matt returned to the topic, arguing that a white actress would have been a better fit for the part.
“We’re told that we shouldn’t object to Helen of Troy being portrayed as a black woman. And yet if a major Hollywood studio made a film set in Africa and cast a white woman as ‘the most beautiful woman in Africa,’ those same people would literally riot in the street,” Matt wrote. “If, say, Sydney Sweeney was cast in the role, they’d be driven to murderous violence. We all know this is the case.”
Elon weighed in again, calling the director’s casting decision an example of “such hypocrisy in Hollywood.”