TL;DR
- Elliot Page’s casting as Achilles sparks outrage.
- Right-wing commentators misgender and criticize Page.
- Lupita Nyong’o cast as Helen of Troy also faces backlash.
- Critics ignore the mythological nature of the story.
- Christopher Nolan’s direction is politically scrutinized.
In a world filled with real issues, it seems some folks have chosen to focus their outrage on a fictional character. Yes, you guessed it! The latest target of right-wing ire is none other than Elliot Page, who is rumored to play the legendary hero Achilles in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of The Odyssey. And let’s just say, the backlash has been nothing short of a melodramatic soap opera.
On a recent segment aired by Newsmax, anchor Rob Finnerty unleashed a tirade against Page’s casting, dubbing it a “too-woke decision” and failing miserably to respect Page’s identity. After referring to him by his deadname, Finnerty lamented, “The most famous warrior in all of history, not just Greek history, Achilles, is about to be played by a transgender woman in a brand new movie.” Talk about a hot take that’s as outdated as a flip phone!
Continuing his rant, Finnerty insisted on misgendering Page, even while reminiscing about his Oscar-nominated role in Juno. It’s almost as if he forgot that Achilles is a mythological character, not a historical figure. But hey, who needs facts when you can just throw a tantrum about representation?
Finnerty wasn’t done there. He also took aim at Lupita Nyong’o, who is set to play Helen of Troy. “The woman whose face launched a thousand ships, whose beauty was unparalleled, a woman who was definitely white is going to be played by Lupita Nyong’o,” he lamented. Someone should remind him that Helen is a fictional character too. But I guess that nuance is lost on him.
And then enters the billionaire himself, Elon Musk, who jumped into the fray with a simple “True” in response to Walsh’s comments. Because nothing says “I’m a serious thinker” quite like a billionaire retweeting transphobia. Meanwhile, Walsh tweeted, “Not one person on the planet actually thinks that Lupita Nyong’o is ‘the most beautiful woman in the world.’” Oh, honey, the delusion is strong with this one!
What these critics fail to realize is that The Odyssey is a work of fiction filled with gods, monsters, and heroes that exist in the realm of myth. The casting choices made by Nolan are not rewriting history; they are simply a reflection of the diverse world we live in today. Perhaps they should take a page from the book of mythology and learn to embrace a little creativity.
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While they’re at it, they might want to brush up on their Greek literature because it seems they’re missing the whole point. The outrage over Page’s casting is not just about a role; it’s a reflection of deeper societal issues surrounding gender identity and representation in Hollywood.
In the end, the real question remains: why are they so threatened by a fictional character being portrayed by a transgender actor? Maybe it’s time to let go of the past and embrace a future where everyone can see themselves as heroes, even if they’re just playing a part in a story. After all, isn’t that what storytelling is all about?