The cohosts of ‘The View’ are pushing back against conservative criticism surrounding the rumoured cast of The Odyssey, director Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated blockbuster already generating Oscar buzz.
During Thursday’s “Hot Topics” segment, moderator Whoopi Goldberg questioned why critics upset over the casting choices would not simply avoid watching the film altogether.
Goldberg, who has previously spoken against racist criticism in Hollywood, especially after Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel in Disney’s live-action ‘The Little Mermaid’, addressed backlash aimed at Lupita Nyong’o and Elliot Page.
Some online users criticised reports that Nyong’o may portray Helen of Troy, while others made transphobic remarks about Page’s rumoured role as Achilles. Page publicly came out as transgender in 2020.
“I think racism rears its ugly head often, and more often now than ever, I think, in our country,” cohost Sunny Hostin said while discussing the controversy.
Hostin also argued that critics questioning whether a Black actress could portray Helen of Troy were ignoring historical scholarship. She noted that historians have long debated the influence of Ancient Egypt and North Africa on Greek mythology and civilisation.
“People saying a Black woman could not possibly play Helen of Troy don’t know history,” she added.
Conservative cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin compared the backlash to reactions surrounding Bailey’s casting in ‘The Little Mermaid’. She also took aim at Elon Musk, who weighed in on the discussion online, joking that despite running several companies, he still found time to comment on movie casting debates.
