If you trust the internet then you would know this Christopher Nolan – whom they called the Spielberg of his generation – is destroying Homer’s Odyssey. In fact, the author is adapting the ancient Greek epic for the big screen. Releasing later this year, Odyssey has been shot entirely with IMAX cameras and is being touted as one of the most anticipated films of the year. But just a few weeks before its release, discussions are being held about its casting. Kenyan-Mexican actor Lupita Nyong’o has been cast as Helen of Troy, while rapper Travis Scott appears as a poet. Both of these castings have been criticized as ‘diversity hacks’ online, with many questioning the ‘race-swapping’ casting of Helen and the appearance of a black rapper in ancient Greece.
Is Nolan casting black actors to meet Oscar criteria?
on conspiracy theories Reddit and Twitter say the director is casting to meet the eligibility criteria for the Oscars. Starting in 2024, the Academy Awards have established guidelines for films competing for Best Picture, requiring representation of underrepresented groups in the cast and crew. And the Internet believes that casting Lupita and Travis is Nolan’s way of meeting that criteria, because casting black actors is one of the criteria a movie must meet.
Some have also added its casting Elliot Page (who plays an undisclosed role in the film) for this effort. Elliot, a transman, will meet the Academy’s requirement to have ‘one of the lead actors or significant supporting actors’ from the LGBTQ+ community.
However, neither Christopher Nolan nor the film’s producers have yet addressed these rumors. The intention behind the casting has not been discussed yet. But that hasn’t stopped this narrative from spreading rapidly on subreddits, online forums and social media platforms.
What are the Academy Awards’ diversity guidelines?
In 2021, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the governing body that oversees the Oscars, announced that any film to be considered for the Best Picture award must meet certain criteria. The criteria are broadly divided into four categories of standards – on-screen representation, themes and narratives; Creative leadership and project team; industry access and opportunities; and audience development.
In the first – and most discussed – standard, the Oscar website states that a film must meet at least one of the three criteria listed. These are:
- At least one of the lead actors or significant supporting actors submitted for Oscar consideration is from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group in a specific country or region of production.
- At least 30% of all actors not submitted for Oscar consideration are from at least two underrepresented groups which may include:
- The film’s main story, theme or narrative focuses on an underrepresented group.
The website describes underrepresented groups as women, racial or ethnic groups, LGBTQ+, or people with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing. It details underrepresented racial groups such as African American/Black, African and/or Caribbean descent, East Asian, Hispanic, Native American/Alaskan Native, Middle Eastern, North African, Pacific Islander, South Asian, and Southeast Asian.
Similarly, the second standard requires the film to meet the same criteria for crew members. Any film that meets any one of the three criteria will meet the standard:
- At least two (2) of the following creative leadership positions and department heads – Casting Director, Cinematographer, Composer, Costume Designer, Director, Editor, Hair Stylist, Makeup Artist, Producer, Production Designer, Set Decorator, Sound, VFX Supervisor, Writer – are from an underrepresented group and at least one of those positions must be held by an individual from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. There must be two or more different persons.
- At least six (6) other crew/team and technical positions (except production assistants) are from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. These positions include, but are not limited to, First AD, Gaffer, Script Supervisor, etc. There must be six or more distinct persons.
- At least 30% of the film crew is from at least two underrepresented groups
The third standard involves production or financing companies offering paid internships to people from underrepresented groups, while the fourth involves their presence in the film’s marketing, promotion, and distribution departments.
all about odyssey
The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the legendary King of Ithaca, while Anne Hathaway plays his wife Penelope. The film is based on Homer’s epic poem describing Odysseus’s perilous journey home after the Trojan War. Odyssey also stars Om Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron and Elliot Page. It is scheduled to release on July 17, 2026.