Director Christopher Nolan has been taking his global press tour for The Odyssey around the world, but Greece was nowhere on his hit list. The tour is visiting London, Paris, Mumbai, New York City, Beijing, and Seoul. However, Athens and other Greek cities are missing, even though the film is based on one of Greece’s most famous and foundational stories.
The Odyssey draws from the ancient epic poem by Homer, written nearly 3,000 years ago. The story follows Odysseus on his long journey home after the Trojan War. Nolan filmed parts of the movie in locations tied to the original setting, but he failed to cast a single Greek actor in any major roles.
The casting he did do has already sparked criticism. The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy, and Elliot Page as a Greek warrior. Critics argue the film leans into modern casting trends while leaving out actors from the culture that created the story.
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The outlet Greek City Times sharply criticized the decision. The publication said the film includes “not one prominent ethnic Greek actor” and called the move a failure to recognize the culture behind the source material. In a widely shared response, the outlet stressed that Greek identity is still alive and continuous. “Greek people did not disappear after the age of myth,” the article states. “We are still here.” The piece points to the long history of Greek language and culture, noting it has continued through ancient, Byzantine, and modern periods without interruption.
An open letter from Greek City Times also argues that modern Hollywood often talks about representation, but does not apply that standard evenly, stating that while diversity is promoted, Greek heritage, particularly in this case, is treated as a relic of the past rather than a living culture. The criticism doesn’t reject creative freedom or global storytelling. Instead, it calls for basic recognition. The outlet says stories like The Odyssey can belong to the world while still honoring their origin and the people connected to them today.
Nolan has not publicly responded to the backlash. The absence of a Greek stop on the press tour is adding fuel to the debate as the film prepares for its worldwide release this weekend. The hypocrisy is showing though, because while studios often promote inclusive casting, and Variety even slavishly praises movies like Moana for doing it, they seem to be quite selective when they leave out the very cultures that created the stories being told.
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English (US) · 