Shut Up About The Odyssey’s Casting Already

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, adapted from Homer’s ancient Greek epic, asks audiences to believe in a wild list of things: a one-eyed giant, a witch who turns men into pigs (if only), gods who interfere in human affairs, and a hero who spends 10 years being blown off course on his journey home. Yet, for many viewers, the most unbelievable part is the diverse cast, including Himesh Patel as Eurylochus (Odysseus’s right-hand man and brother-in-law), Zendaya as Athena, Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and her twin Clytemnestra, rapper Travis Scott as a bard, and Elliot Page as a Greek soldier.

After the film’s trailer dropped in May, one person tweeted, “We know you bowed to the forces that say you must hire based on skin color or protected class to win awards. Hire based on merit, not DEI bullshit.” Another commented, “We know it’s historically inaccurate, mistranslated, and had alternative motives…honest reaction to someone butchering a classic.”

The irony? After the film’s debut, fans couldn’t help but notice one man who wasn’t as omnipresent during the press tour: British Indian actor Himesh Patel. He’s been labeled “the real star” and “MVP,” with many noting he has more screen time than most other co-stars, including Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson, despite the press tour making him seem like a cameo.