The Job Lupita Nyong’o Says Won Her the Role as Helen of Troy in The Odyssey

Anticipation continues to build for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey, a thrilling adaptation of Homer’s legendary Greek epic. Notably, this project marks the first feature film shot completely using IMAX film cameras. Also, the mastermind behind acclaimed hits like Oppenheimer, Inception, and Interstellar has assembled a star-studded cast for it, including Lupita Nyong’o, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, and Charlize Theron.

Among the talented group, Nyong’o is drawing significant attention for her challenging task of portraying Helen of Troy and her sister Clytemnestra. Nyong’o told the press that Nolan wrote these parts specifically with her in mind—an unusual approach for the director. While she views that as an immense honor in her already-celebrated career, she revealed in an accompanying interview with Who What Wear that she attributes this massive opportunity to her performance in 12 Years a Slave.

The 2013 biographical historical drama, adapted from Solomon Northup’s 1853 memoir, served as Nyong’o’s feature-film debut and definitive breakout role. Her powerful portrayal of Patsey, a resilient enslaved woman on a Louisiana cotton plantation, earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress—a rare triumph for a debut performance.

Reflecting on her career, Nyong’o expressed shock and gratitude at how things have unfolded. “It’s unbelievable that it happened that way, but I’m so glad it did because it happened before I had a chance to want it, and now, I get to be grateful for the rest of my life,” she noted. For her, the Oscar win was more than just a trophy; it laid the groundwork for future opportunities. “I would not be in a Chris Nolan film were it not for that,” she admitted while also acknowledging she couldn’t foresee how to follow an Academy Award debut. Ultimately, that foundational role paved the way for her presence in The Odyssey, one of the most highly anticipated films of the year, scheduled to hit theaters on July 17.