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Variety Gets Wrecked for Attacking Critics of the 'Diverse' Cast of Nolan's Odyssey

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  May 15, 2026 10:30 AM

Not too long ago, the Left was pulling its hair out over Hollywood casting. They argued that movies, TV shows, and even voice-over gigs had to have casting that was not only diverse but also reflected the characters, too. That is, if a character is gay or trans in the show or movie, the actor had to be gay or trans. A straight actor was no longer acceptable in those roles. In the same vein, only Black voice actors could voice Black characters, etc.

Hollywood also instituted DEI rules for awards, meaning they didn't care about rewarding creativity, solid filmmaking, or excellent performances anymore. Instead, you would only get awards if your project checked all the right boxes. It's part of why Hollywood has been hemorrhaging cash at the box office and audiences are skipping the movie theatre.

Director Christopher Nolan, who most recently won the Oscar for 'Oppenheimer,' is releasing an adaptation of Homer's 'The Odyssey' in July. The film has been a focus of controversy because Nolan is using a translation by British-American classicist Emily Wilson, which uses "contemporary language that strips away archaic, patriarchal interpretations of the original text." In short, a feminist-lens retelling of a man's epic journey.

That's strike one.

The casting is another problem, the revelation that Lupita Nyong'o would be playing Helen of Troy and her sister Clytemnestra. Helen of Troy, a Greek woman described as having white skin and blonde hair. Suddenly, it seems, representation no longer matters.

But it's not the fault of the woke casting directors or Hollywood executives that the film is getting backlash. No, that blame lies with the audience for wanting a fair and accurate adaptation.

The Left always does this. They will demand diverse casting, then — when people complain — ask "Why does this matter so much to you? It's no big deal!"

If it's no big deal, then it should have been no big deal to cast a white actress as Snow White, omit Black Hobbits from 'The Rings of Power', and not ruin Star Wars. Yet they did it. They very quickly moved away from demands that casting reflect the characters.

They also pulled this stunt with the upcoming HBO 'Harry Potter' series, casting Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape.

What Variety also failed to mention is this: all those projects lost money and viewership. So perhaps that wasn't the best example.

Not the one they'd hoped.

That's exactly what this is.

They don't care about the storytelling anymore. The message is the point.

And it's a self-inflicted flop. This writer was excited for 'The Odyssey' but she refuses to see it now that it's been so horribly cast and politicized.

That's (D)ifferent.

Of course, the creatives behind 'Black Panther' should absolutely be able to cast and produce the film in the way they see fit. But that rule should apply to all movies, all screenwriters, and all directors.

It's the hypocrisy and double standard that are the problem.

They're doing great!

It's only fair.

It's not just a handful of online people, although they're easy targets on which Hollywood can deflect the blame for its failings. Audiences don't want these films because they are not good stories. They're thinly-veiled political messages wearing beloved IPs as a skin suit. 

Hollywood says they're retooling these IPs for "modern audiences," but those modern audiences do not exist. They instead insult the fan bases and actual audiences to appease a handful of perpetually online woke Leftists who wouldn't see 'Snow White' or 'The Odyssey' if you paid them to do so.