Elon Musk has once again inserted himself into a Hollywood debate, and this time it involves Lupita Nyong’o and Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic The Odyssey.
Musk recently backed criticism surrounding Nyong’o’s casting as Helen of Troy and agreed with claims that Nolan only made the decision because of diversity standards.
His comments quickly spread online, prompting debate among viewers, with many criticizing Musk.
“What’s it gotta do with Musk? He has to stick his nose in everything; he must lead a very sad life,” one user wrote.
Elon Musk agreed with criticism over Lupita Nyong’o playing Helen of Troy and later doubled down
Image credits: Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images
The latest controversy began after conservative commentator Matt Walsh criticized Nyong’o’s casting as Helen of Troy in Nolan’s adaptation on May 12.
Helen is traditionally described in Homer’s stories as “the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Walsh wrote, “Not one person on the planet actually thinks that Lupita Nyong’o is ‘the most beautiful woman in the world.’ But Christopher Nolan knows that he would be called a racist if he gave ‘the most beautiful woman’ role to a white woman.”
Musk replied with a short response, “True.”
But he did not stop there.
Image credits: Theo Wargo/Getty Images
A day later, Walsh continued discussing the casting and argued that if a white actress had been cast as “the most beautiful woman in Africa”, there would have been outrage.
Musk again supported the argument and replied, “Absolutely true. Such hypocrisy in Hollywood.”
Musk later escalated his criticism further and shifted his focus toward Oscar’s diversity standards.
Image credits: Marvel Studios
“Chris Nolan desecrated The Odyssey so that he would be eligible for an Academy Award,” Musk wrote.
He also questioned who added “DEI lies” to the Academy’s eligibility rules and suggested that casting choices were being driven by awards requirements rather than creative decisions.
This was also not Musk’s first criticism of the film.
Earlier this year, when rumors linked Elliot Page to the role of Achilles, Musk reacted strongly online and called it “one of the dumbest and most twisted things I’ve ever heard.”
Lupita Nyong’o’s casting had already sparked backlash long before Musk joined the conversation
The discussion around Nyong’o’s role actually started months earlier, before Nolan officially confirmed details.
Rumors had already triggered heavy debate online and across media outlets.
Some critics argued that Helen of Troy should have been portrayed differently, given traditional descriptions in Greek mythology and history. Others accused the film of rewriting source material.
“The casting of this movie is a complete insult to the Greek people. Shame on you,” one person wrote online.
Another commented, “Well, he did not say anything racist. The cast is simply wrong, and it is a slap to ancient Greek history and culture.”
Image credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
True
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 12, 2026
“Trying to race swap Helen described as blonde and blue-eyed just for an Oscar is really low, for Christopher Nolan!” a third added.
The backlash also reignited debates about race, representation, and whether historical or mythological figures should be portrayed solely on the basis of traditional depictions.
The controversy even drew comparisons to Netflix’s Queen Cleopatra, which faced criticism in 2023 after casting decisions sparked arguments over historical representation.
As Musk’s comments spread, social media quickly turned into another battleground
Image credits: Amy Sussman/Getty Images
While some detractors agreed with Musk, others criticized him for repeatedly inserting himself into movie debates.
“You all are so discriminatory. You’re morons and idiots who think you’re brilliant and progressive when in fact you are the real racists,” one commenter wrote.
Another said, “The casting of this movie is a complete insult to the Greek people.”
Many focused their attention more on Musk himself.
“What’s it gotta do with Musk?” one user asked, while another wrote, “He has to stick his nose in everything.”
“Omg, does he ever log off?” another person joked.
While Musk and online backlash grew online, Alec Baldwin publicly defended Nyong’o
A glaringly obvious double-standard https://t.co/bis3wryR5T
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 16, 2026
While backlash grew online, Nyong’o also received strong support from people who disagreed with Musk and the criticism surrounding her role.
Alec Baldwin publicly defended the actress after Musk’s comments gained attention. Baldwin shared a photo of Nyong’o on Instagram and addressed Musk directly.
“Dear Elon… but she IS the most beautiful woman in the world… Alec,” he wrote.
His wife, Hilaria Baldwin, also reacted positively in the comments with heart and fire emojis.
Image credits: Gage Skidmore/Flickr
In February, Whoopi Goldberg also defended Nyong’o during a discussion of the controversy on The View.
“She is also considered one of the world’s most beautiful women,” Goldberg said.
She then addressed Musk directly.
“You don’t have to actually go to the movie. I don’t know why you feel like you need to speak on this.”
“Elon is just jealous because Lupita would never look his way,” wrote one netizen
