Christopher Nolan: Our 'Odyssey' avoids 'cultural prejudices' to appeal to 'modern audiences'

Director Christopher Nolan defended his cinematic choices for "The Odyssey" in a recent interview, which interestingly included a focus on historical accuracy.

Nolan's remarks come as he has faced a landslide of criticism in the lead-up to the film's release, particularly for the way he has chosen to cast the ancient Greek story.

'I just want to make it feel very fresh for modern audiences.'

Digging in

Most notably, Nolan cast Mexican-born Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o to play Greek princess Helen of Troy. This was in addition to tapping transgender actress Elliot Page to play Greek warrior Sinon, despite Page having a lengthy movie career as Ellen Page, including in Nolan's 2010 hit "Inception."

Nevertheless, Nolan did not address his casting choices in a recent interview, and while he did praise some of his actors, he made a peculiar argument for why historical accuracy is important.

"We went back to what's in the archaeology. What does that tell us? And what gaps does that leave?" Nolan rhetorically asked Channel 4.

"What do we know about Homer's time? How were things portrayed in the earliest possible portrayals of that? And looking at how do you create a consistent and accessible world around that that feels vital and and credible."

RELATED: Elliot Page, Travis Scott, and ancient Greece: Christopher Nolan’s ‘Odyssey’ is unrealistic — but should anyone care?

Greek to me

While Nolan argued for historical accuracy in architecture, he made a different argument when asked about the "very modern" language used in the film. Nolan said the use of old English in similar depictions is only due to cultural bias.

"You look at the ancient world — people tend to view it in weird ways; there's a lot of cultural prejudice," Nolan argued. "They're sort of elevating it because it's old, you know, whatever it is. When you go to the poem, what you find is something that's really earthy and grounded and accessible."

Still, the 55-year-old said he wanted an updated take on the film and to avoid any illogical assumptions some audiences may have.

"I just want to center it on that and make it feel very fresh for modern audiences and do away with some of those assumptions that aren't based on anything logical. They're just, as I say, cultural prejudices or things over time," Nolan added.

RELATED: Christopher Nolan’s shocking woke sellout: Weaponizing Homer’s Western classic AGAINST the West

Los Angeles, 2010. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Horsing around

The director's use of the dreaded term "modern audiences" set off many in the comments section, who see it as a signal that the movie will be overtly progressive in tone.

Viewers called the term "a huge red flag" and a reason to be "immediately out."

"'Modern audience' lol no thanks," another viewer wrote, while a recent remark asked, "Is this modern audience with you in the room, right now?"

As for Nolan's pick for Sinon, the character is typically viewed as a soldier who helped deceive Trojans into accepting the Trojan Horse inside their walls. According to GreekMythology.com, Sinon's "lies, courage, and careful acting" made him one of the most "important figures in the story of the Trojan Horse."

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