Lupita Nyong’o has drawn online criticism after saying she would challenge Homer over the limited space given to women in his ancient Greek epics, just days before Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey reaches theaters.
The Oscar-winning actress, 43, plays both Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra in Nolan’s highly anticipated adaptation of Homer’s epic poem. During an interview with Jake Hamilton for the YouTube channel Jake’s Takes, members of the cast were asked what they would say to Homer if they could watch the film with him.
Nyong’o answered by focusing on the women of the story.
“I would be like, ‘So, Homer, how do you feel about the screen time given to these women considering how little you spent with them?’” she said. When Hamilton jokingly asked whether she would lean forward and challenge the poet directly, Nyong’o replied, “Yes. Like, ‘Hmm? Remember us?’”
Backlash Over Nyong’o’s homer remark
The comment quickly spread across social media, where some users accused Nyong’o of sounding dismissive toward one of the foundational figures of Western literature. Critics called the remark arrogant and argued that modern film promotion should not reduce Homer’s work to contemporary talking points.
The reaction grew sharper because Nyong’o had previously acknowledged that she had not read The Odyssey before being cast in Nolan’s film. In a May interview with Elle, she said she had “no idea” what The Odyssey was when the project first came her way and described her preparation as a crash course in Greek mythology. She added that she read the books immediately and credited the film with expanding her knowledge of the subject.
Some social media users connected those earlier comments with her latest remarks, suggesting that her criticism of Homer carried less weight because she came to the source material only recently. Others defended her, arguing that actors can engage with ancient texts from the perspective of the roles they play, especially when a new adaptation chooses to emphasize characters who were secondary in the original poems.
Nolan’s film puts women closer to the center
Nyong’o has framed Nolan’s version of The Odyssey as a film that looks more closely at the human cost of war, including its effect on women. In a separate interview with DC Film Girl, she said Nolan’s interest in the story goes beyond adventure and spectacle.
“What Chris is interested in this film is investigating the cost of war,” she said, adding that The Iliad and The Odyssey devote little time to women’s perspectives. According to Nyong’o, Nolan’s film gives more space to Helen and Clytemnestra and considers how the Trojan War shaped both characters.
Her dual role carries particular weight in Greek mythology. Helen of Troy, the wife of Menelaus, has long been associated with the outbreak of the Trojan War after she was taken to Troy by Paris. Clytemnestra, Helen’s sister and the wife of Agamemnon, stands at the center of another violent family legacy tied to the war’s aftermath.
Nyong’o has also defended her casting as Helen of Troy after earlier criticism emerged online. She argued that the role should not be reduced to physical appearance alone, saying she was interested in who Helen is beyond her beauty and mythic reputation.
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