Lupita Nyong'o breaks silence on The Odyssey casting backlash

Lupita Nyong'o has broken her silence on the intense backlash over her casting as Helen of Troy in The Odyssey.

The Oscar-winning actress will play Helen of Troy, who is often referred to as "the face that launched 1,000 ships", and her sister Clytemnestra in Christopher Nolan's adaptation of Homer's Greek epic.

After months of secrecy surrounding her character, Nolan confirmed earlier this month that Nyong'o is playing Helen, said to be one of the most beautiful women in the world.

The news sparked racist backlash online, with commentator Matt Walsh calling Nolan a "coward" for casting her instead of a white woman, and Elon Musk claiming she was given the role because Nolan "wants the awards".

Addressing those critics, the 12 Years A Slave actress insisted to ELLE that The Odyssey is "a mythological story" and she felt "so deeply honoured to be entrusted with the role".

"I'm very supportive of Chris's intention with it and with the version of this story that he is telling. Our cast is representative of the world," she continued, before dismissing the hate. "I'm not spending my time thinking of a defence. The criticism will exist whether I engage with it or not."

"It's quite something to be a part of The Odyssey, because it is so grand. It spans worlds. So that's why the cast is what it is. We're occupying the epic narrative of our time," she added, noting that "you can't perform beauty".

Nolan told the publication that he was "absolutely desperate" for the Black Panther star to play Helen, a role that required both physical beauty and acting chops.

"The strength and the poise were so important to the character of Helen. And Lupita makes it look effortless," he praised.

Nyong'o explained that she also lives by the mantra "go where you're loved", adding, "So I can't spend my time thinking about all the people who still don't love me. You'll find the representatives who believe in you, and you'll get on with it. I want to believe I'm built to last."

The Odyssey, starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya, will be released in cinemas on 17 July.