(Image: ELLE, Warner Bros. Pictures)
Since the official announcement last week that Black actress Lupita Nyong'o would portray the twin sisters Helen and Clytemnestra in Christopher Nolan's self-penned epic "The Odyssey," the news has sparked a tidal wave of online backlash, with even Elon Musk joining the fray.
In a new feature interview for "The Odyssey" published by ELLE magazine, Nyong'o herself finally addressed the fierce criticism, first explaining why she wanted to take on the role: "I'm incredibly honored to be able to play this character. She's a legend. How could I say no?"
(Image: ELLE)
Regarding the public commentary on her appearance, Nyong'o stated: "Beauty cannot be performed. I wanted to understand the essence of the character, what is there beyond beauty? That's the challenge of interpreting such a well-known classic text that has been so deeply studied, interpreted, and drawn from—the research can be endless. The benefit of working with a writer like Chris is the solid script. Your research begins the moment you get those pages. My work is based on that script."
(Image: ELLE)
Nyong'o affirmed her full support for Nolan's vision: "I am very supportive of Chris's creative intentions and the version of the story he wants to tell. Our cast represents the world. I'm not going to spend my time thinking about how to defend it. Criticism will always be there, whether I respond or not. It's amazing to be a part of 'The Odyssey' because it's so epic and it crosses all peoples. That's why the cast is the way it is. We are making an epic for our time."
"In this industry, commerce trumps art, and the commercial side lacks imagination. After a movie like 'The Sinner' comes out, every studio tends to follow the trend and greenlight new vampire movies. So the problem of a lack of imagination already exists, and racism only makes it worse."
(Image: Universal Pictures)
In the same interview, Nolan explained his choice to cast Nyong'o as Helen: "Strength and poise were essential in shaping the character of Helen, and Lupita embodies that effortlessly. I believe it takes a great deal of discipline and training to project that kind of composure while feeling the deep emotions stirring within and peeling back the layers of the character's inner world. It was a joy to work with her, and I really wanted her for this part."
via： ELLE