The Odyssey is an ancient Greek epic poem composed by Homer that chronicles Odysseus’s 10-year journey home after the Trojan War. The mythological story was required reading in many high school English classes in the U.S. Film director Christopher Nolan took on bringing the epic poem to the big screen as summer’s hottest blockbuster. But not everyone was happy with the casting. The View host Whoopi Goldberg came to Elliot Page’s defense amid shocking attacks on his role in the movie. Keep reading for more details on the backlash and her response.
Conservative Podcaster Slams The Odyssey Casting
Christopher Nolan has directed some of the biggest movies of the last decade. He takes on the epic tale of The Odyssey in his latest film. But the media coverage has been more about the director’s controversial casting choices. Christopher Nolan has a history of making unconventional casting choices. For example, Heath Ledger’s casting as The Joker in The Dark Knight was initially panned by critics. But it turned out to be his most memorable role.
The Odyssey has a star-studded cast that includes Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and the recently married couple, Tom Holland and Zendaya. Helen of Troy is a famous figure in Greek mythology for her beauty which “launched a thousand ships.” Lupita Nyong’o took on the iconic role, sparking backlash for casting a Black woman.
Surprisingly, conservative podcaster Ben Shapiro defended casting Lupita Nyong’o. “I know a lot of people were like, ‘Oh my God, Lupita Nyong’o is supposed to look like Diane Kruger.’ I don’t know. Diane Kruger doesn’t look very Greek. She’s German,” he said on his podcast. However, he took major issue with Elliot Page playing a male Greek warrior.
“I know there are a lot of conservatives who are getting pre-whipped up about the film. Because it’s stupid to cast Elliot Page as a dude. It’s just stupid,” Ben Shapiro said. However, he encouraged people to see the “masterpiece” despite what he saw as a huge casting mistake.
The View Host Whoopi Goldberg Defends Elliot Page Amid Attacks
Ben Shapiro went on to attack Elliot Page as a “woman with mental issues.” The Juno star came out as transgender in 2020. Unfortunately, a lot of people still have a hard time accepting that. But there are people like Whoopi Goldberg who aren’t afraid to speak up in Elliot Page’s defense.
Ben Shapiro’s harsh criticism of the casting was a “Hot Topics” discussion on The View earlier this week. Whoopi Goldberg had a simple solution: If you don’t want to see Elliot Page as Greek warrior Sinon, don’t see the movie. “You don’t like Elliot Page? Don’t go see the d**n movie. Don’t do it. We will be OK if you don’t go see it,” the comedian said.
Sara Haines also slammed ignorant critics of the movie. “There’s a unique ignorance to someone who comments on something they’ve never seen. You’re taught from a young age: do your research, learn and then you can join the conversation,” she said. “You cannot not see the film and complain about how awful it is when you haven’t seen the film.”
Whoopi Goldberg was right about one thing. The film was okay despite a boycott from people who don’t like Elliot Page. The Odyssey earned more than $264 million at the box office in its first weekend. Share your thoughts on the controversial casting in the comments.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger