Greeks welcome Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ despite U.S. casting debate
11 reported
Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey” opens July 17 amid international anticipation and controversy over its casting, according to an Associated Press report. In Greece, where the epic is taught in all seventh-grade classrooms, educators and parents emphasize that the story has endured for nearly 3,000 years because of reinvention, not despite it. The film stars Matt Damon as King Odysseus and a number of Hollywood stars, following Homer’s outline of a king’s return home through gods and monsters. In the U.S., conservative commentators and Elon Musk criticized Nolan’s casting of Black actor Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy, with Musk claiming Nolan had desecrated “The Odyssey” without having seen the movie. Nolan told The Telegraph that backlash “comes with the territory” and that such conversations are “always irrelevant” before people see the film. In Greece, the small nationalist party Niki objected to the casting and a government subsidy of roughly 6 million euros ($6.9 million) for local production, but Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said it is not the state’s role to dictate artistic interpretation. Professor Christos Tsagalis of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki said Homer’s works have endured by becoming universal, adding, “It’s a fascinating story. It is like a movie.”
What’s reported
Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” opens July 17.
The film stars Matt Damon as King Odysseus, with Lupita Nyong’o, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, and narration by Travis Scott.
In Greece, “The Odyssey” is taught in all seventh-grade classrooms.
Teacher Filippos Mantzaris said the goal is for children to understand that “every new creation is exactly that — a new creation.”
Elon Musk claimed Nolan had desecrated “The Odyssey” after Nyong’o was cast as Helen of Troy, despite not having seen the movie.
Conservative commentator Matt Walsh argued the film prioritized identity politics.
Nolan told The Telegraph backlash “comes with the territory” and is “always irrelevant” before people see the film.
Nolan told the AP he wanted to make the film accessible and “not look back to sort of past Hollywood versions.”
The Greek nationalist party Niki objected to the casting and a government subsidy of roughly 6 million euros ($6.9 million).
Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said it is not the state’s role to dictate artistic interpretation.
Professor Christos Tsagalis said Homer’s works have endured by becoming universal.
Key figures
Christopher Nolan, director
Matt Damon, actor playing King Odysseus
Lupita Nyong’o, actor playing Helen of Troy
Filippos Mantzaris, teacher
Kyriakos Agapiou, 12-year-old student
Nikos Varelas, farm scientist
Manos Pintzis, actor
Elon Musk, commentator
Matt Walsh, conservative commentator
Lina Mendoni, Greek Culture Minister
Christos Tsagalis, professor of ancient Greek literature at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Sources: abcnews.com
