Lupita Nyong’o is facing strong criticism online after revealing the question she would ask ancient Greek poet Homer.
The actress made the comment while promoting Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey‘, and her answer quickly sparked mockery, debate, and comparisons to another controversial Hollywood press tour.
Lupita Nyong’o Questions Homer Over The Women In ‘The Odyssey’
During an interview on the Jake’s Takes YouTube channel, Nyong’o, who plays Helen of Troy and Helen’s sister, Clytemnestra in Nolan’s movie, was asked what she would say to Homer if she could meet him today. The 43-year-old actress replied, “So, Homer, how do you feel about the screen time given to these women considering how little you spent with them? Remember us?“, Nyong’o asked the question.
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One person called the reply “straight out of idiocracy.” Other users questioned her education at the Yale School of Drama because she previously admitted she had not read The Odyssey before joining the project. One X user wrote, “She received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale School of Drama and knew nothing of The Odyssey going in. Yale is turning into an expensive community college.”
Nyong’o had already spoken about her limited knowledge of the story in an Elle cover story in May. She admitted she “went in quite blind” when she met Nolan about the film.
“I really had no idea what The Odyssey was,” she told the outlet. “‘I was like, ‘Oh, snap, I don’t know the first thing about this. So it was a crash course. I picked up the books and read them immediately. I have this film to thank for my Greek mythological education.”
Critics Compare The Backlash To Rachel Zegler’s Snow White Press Tour
More criticism appeared on an @Nerdrotics X thread posted on Monday. One person wrote, “She thinks it’s still 2016 and everyone is going to stand up, clap and yell, “YAAAASSSSS QUEEN.” Another added, “She’s living in a leftist bubble and hasn’t any real knowledge of world history.” Someone else wrote, “They don’t realize the majority of the population is against their agenda.”
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Several people compared the reaction to Rachel Zegler’s 2025 Snow White press tour. Zegler faced controversy after calling the original animated movie “extremely dated.” One person wrote, “This has Snow White vibes,” while another said, “Lupita just got her Zegler moment.” One upset fan also promised not to see Nolan’s movie when it arrives in theaters on July 17, writing, “This will be the hardest I’ve not watched a movie in my life.”
Nyong’o later explained why Nolan’s version gives more attention to its female characters. During another recent interview with DC Film Girl, she spoke about the director’s aim for the movie. “What Chris is interested in in this film is investigating the cost of war. And when you read the Iliad and the Odyssey, very little time is spent from the perspective of the women,” she told interviewer Lauren Veneziani.
She continued, “It’s told from a very masculine side of things. But this film takes time to really consider things from the female perspective. And so we see in Helen and Clytemnestra how this war has affected them both.” Nyong’o also defended Nolan’s decision to cast her as Helen. In her Elle profile, she reminded readers that Homer’s epic “is a mythological story” rather than a historical account.
The online criticism has added fresh controversy to ‘The Odyssey‘ press tour ahead of the movie’s July 17 release. Nyong’o has made her support for Nolan’s version clear, but the reaction to her ‘Homer’ question shows how one interview answer can quickly turn into a much bigger debate.
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