Elon Musk Criticizes Nolan's Diverse Casting for Odyssey Adaptation

Tesla founder and X owner Elon Musk criticized filmmaker Christopher Nolan on Tuesday after the director confirmed diverse casting choices for his adaptation of the ancient Greek epic "The Odyssey."

Nolan, known for "Interstellar," the "Dark Knight" trilogy, "Oppenheimer," and other blockbusters, faces online backlash for the project. Critics say the film tied to ancient Western civilization feels too modern, with informal American English and diverse actors.

Rumors had circulated for weeks, but Nolan confirmed in a Time magazine interview Tuesday that Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong’o, star of "Black Panther" and "12 Years a Slave," will portray Helen of Troy—the mythological figure famed as the world’s most beautiful woman who sparked the Trojan War in Homer’s epic. Nyong’o will also play Helen’s sister, Clytemnestra, in the film.

An X user pointed out the Academy Awards’ diversity requirements. Musk replied that Nolan "wants the awards." Musk had earlier criticized the Helen casting in January, saying Nolan "has lost his integrity."

Musk agreed with a conservative commentator who said Nolan would face racism charges if he cast a white woman in the role.

The Hollywood Reporter noted surprise at the American accents in the trailer, stating, "Everybody sounds like they’re from Ohio."

Nolan told Time that rapper Travis Scott will play a Greek bard. He explained, "I cast him because I wanted to nod towards the idea that this story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap."

Time’s interviewer described Nolan’s reaction to sensitive topics: "When I edge into territory I fear might trigger prickliness, he shrugs, says, ‘Fair enough,’ and delves earnestly into production decisions that have launched a thousand Reddit posts."

Time called "The Odyssey" arguably Nolan’s biggest film and a potential summer blockbuster for the struggling entertainment industry. The interviewer added that the film feels like a culmination, noting Nolan’s films often feature brilliant men trying to get home to their families. Nolan paused and sighed when asked about fan reactions to repeated tropes.

The interviewer said the internet has reached Nolan despite his lack of a smartphone. Nolan responded to online criticism, "You have to be comfortable with repeating yourself, if it’s right for the project. If you’re paying too much attention to what people are pointing out in your work, you'd be paralyzed."

Released footage shows characters using modern American terms like "Let’s go" and "Daddy." A recent promo featured NBA player LeBron James and his son as parallels to Odysseus and Telemachus, with LeBron dribbling a basketball while narrating over film imagery.

Some progressives have criticized conservative objections before the release. A Variety writer mocked "literary purists" upset over non-white actors in traditionally white roles.

On Thursday’s "The View," Whoopi Goldberg told critics of the casting not to watch the movie. She said Musk was "OK with apartheid" growing up in South Africa, then added she didn’t know if he was an "apartheid apologist" and took it back.

Co-host Sunny Hostin said racism often appears in the U.S. She noted historians have linked Greek mythology to influences from ancient Egypt and North Africa.

Fox News Digital contacted Nyong’o and Nolan but received no immediate responses.