If you believe the internet, then you would know that Christopher Nolan – the man they called the Spielberg of his generation – is butchering Homer’s Odyssey. In reality, the auteur is adapting the ancient Greek epic for the big screen. The Odyssey, set to release later this year, has been fully filmed with IMAX cameras and is touted as one of the most anticipated films of the year. But weeks before its release, the buzz is around its casting. Kenyan-Mexican actor Lupita Nyong’o has been cast as Helen of Troy, while rapper Travis Scott appears as a poet. These two castings have been criticised online as ‘diversity hires’, with many questioning the ‘race-swapping’ casting of Helen and the presence of a black rapper in ancient Greece.
Is Nolan casting black actors to meet Oscars’ criteria?
Conspiracy theories on Reddit and Twitter say the director is casting to meet the eligibility criteria for the Oscars. Since 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 is convinced that casting Lupita and Travis is Nolan’s way of meeting that criterion, since casting black actors is one of the criteria a film must meet.
Some have also linked the casting of Elliot Page (who plays an undisclosed role in the film) to this effort. Elliot, a transman, would satisfy the Academy’s requirement of having ‘one of the lead actors or significant supporting actor’ from the LGBTQ+ community.
However, neither Christopher Nolan nor the film’s makers have addressed these rumours yet. The intention behind the casting has not yet been discussed. But that has not dissuaded from this narrative being pushed increasingly 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 overseeing the Oscars, announced that any film seeking to be considered for the Best Picture prize 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 the most-talked-about standard, the Oscars 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 territory of production.
- At least 30% of all actors not submitted for Oscar consideration are from at least two underrepresented groups which may include:
- The main storyline(s), theme or narrative of the film is centered on an underrepresented group(s).
The website describes underrepresented groups as women, racial or ethnic group, LGBTQ+, or people with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing. It further details the underrepresented racial groups 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 similar criteria for crew members. Any film meeting either 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, Hairstylist, Makeup Artist, Producer, Production Designer, Set Decorator, Sound, VFX Supervisor, Writer — are from an underrepresented group and at least one of those positions must belong to someone from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. Must be two or more distinct individuals.
- At least six (6) other crew/team and technical positions (excluding Production Assistants) are from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. These positions include but are not limited to First AD, Gaffer, Script Supervisor, etc. Must be six or more distinct individuals.
- At least 30% of the film’s crew is from at least two underrepresented groups
The third standard involves the production or is financing companies offering paid internships to people from underrepresented groups, while the fourth involves their presence in a film’s marketing, publicity, and distribution departments.
All about The Odyssey
The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the legendary King of Ithaca, with Anne Hathaway playing his wife Penelope. The film is based on Homer’s epic poem chronicling Odysseus’ dangerous journey home after the Trojan War. The Odyssey also stars om Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron and Elliot Page. It is scheduled to release on July 17, 2026.