Whoopi Goldberg Defends Elliot Page Casting Amid Box-Office Success
On a talk-show panel, Whoopi Goldberg urged critics of Elliot Page’s role in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ to skip the film if they disapprove, as the movie tops $300 million at the box office.
The blockbuster adaptation of Homer’s epic has earned more than $300 million after a record-breaking opening weekend, prompting a debate over its casting choices. During Tuesday’s episode of a daytime talk show, panelist Whoopi Goldberg addressed social-media criticism of trans actor Elliot Page’s role, telling detractors that they could simply avoid the film if they object to the casting.
“If you don’t want to see it, then don’t go see it. Why do you care who’s cast in it?”
Goldberg referenced a video by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, who questioned the decision to cast Page as a male character. She suggested that personal dislike should not dictate broader judgments about the movie’s quality.
Fellow panelist Alyssa Farrah Griffin described the film as “a masterpiece” and argued that, despite accusations of being “woke,” it conveys themes of family devotion, faith, and the consequences of war. She added that the movie offers a “real conservative message.”
Other panel members echoed the sentiment that criticism without seeing the film is uninformed. Sarah Haines said viewers should research and watch the movie before forming opinions.
The discussion follows earlier remarks from public figures such as Elon Musk and Matt Walsh, who objected to the casting of Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and the inclusion of rapper Travis Scott in the ensemble. Director Christopher Nolan has dismissed the backlash as “irrelevant,” noting that controversy often accompanies adaptations of well-known works.
“The Odyssey,” starring Matt Damon as Odysseus alongside Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron and others, continues to draw large audiences despite the cultural debate surrounding its diverse cast.