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Unless you’ve been living in ancient Greece, you will know that Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is due out very soon. It’s going to be epic, but we’re not sure how epic just yet. On the one hand, it’s Nolan. He’s had a few misses, but he does make a big movie. Yes, they are overly complex at times, but you can’t deny their specialness.
On the other hand, however, the cast choices have been… well, interesting. Reports of the casting for The Odyssey have been coming in continuously, and the socials have been lighting up.
The first thing I’m going to mention, though, is the music for the movie. The Odyssey is being scored by Award-winning composer Ludwig Goransson. Nolan has told him not to use an orchestra in the score. Why? Goransson said:
“It’s not like the orchestra existed back then. It was a challenge and also an opening to try to make something unique.”
So, Nolan is going for historical accuracy, right down to the music. Just keep that in mind with these casting choices…
Greek Rapper
One casting choice that has been, umm, interesting, for example, is Nolan casting rapper Travis Scott as a bard in the movie. He said about the casting choice:
“I cast him because I wanted to nod towards the idea that this story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap.”
Firstly, I had to look up who Scott was. I’m not ‘down with the yoot’ these days. He’s a rapper and music producer. Apparently, he’s had 5 number one singles, none of which I know.
So, in ancient Greece, you couldn’t find an orchestra, but I’m guessing you could go into a local tavern without bumping into an African Greek rapper. Wasn’t Socrates a philosopher and rapper? I think he was his generation’s Vanilla Ice.
Helen of Troy
The other piece of casting that is causing a stir is Helen of Troy. Helen is said to have been born of the Greek god Zeus, and had a ‘face that launched a thousand ships’, and started the Trojan Wars.
In the past, Helen of Troy has been played by actresses like Sienna Guillory and Diane Kruger. So, how had Nolan picked to play Helen in The Odyssey? Lupita Nyong’o.
A fine actress, to be sure, but it has to be said, not what you might expect from a ‘historically accurate Greek epic’.
Achillies
The other piece of Nolan’s potential casting that’s causing a backlash is Achilles. Now, this is just a rumor and is completely unconfirmed. It could just be the internet doing its thing. Bear in mind that Achilles is dead before the events of The Odyssey. The role was most famously played by Brad Pitt in Wolfgang Petersen’s Troy. Heroic, dashingly handsome, and a force to be reckoned with. Exactly what you imagine Achilles would look like.
Rumours are that in The Odyssey, Achilles is to be played by Elliot Page.
There is so much to say, but you know what, I’m going to leave it to you, Outposters.
Side note, I haven’t seen it, but I see that Page has narrated the documentary Second Nature: Gender and Sexuality in the Animal World. I know you would all like a review, so I will get on that and report back.
Nolan’s The Odyssey is in cinemas on the 17th July.
The post Nolan’s ODYSSEY Casting Confuses appeared first on Last Movie Outpost.
