The Odyssey’s Helen Casting & Tom Holland’s ‘Dad’ Line Get Expert Defense

An expert in ancient Greek language and literature defended casting and language choices Christopher Nolan made for The Odyssey. The scholar has previously translated Homer’s poem, which has reportedly played a role in the development of the upcoming film.

Emily Wilson defends Christopher Nolan’s choices for The Odyssey

In a recent interview with Vulture, Emily Wilson defended several choices that Christopher Nolan made for his upcoming Greek epic, The Odyssey. Wilson is a British-American classicist, author, and professor of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She is best known for her acclaimed English translations of ancient Greek literature, especially Homer’s Odyssey.

During the conversation, the author explained that some translators often take creative liberties, making their work feel more like an adaptation than a strict translation. She noted that Nolan read several translations of the Odyssey, including hers, while preparing for his film.

Wilson defended the film for its use of modern English. Some viewers had earlier criticized a scene in which Telemachus, played by Tom Holland, calls Odysseus “dad.” Many argued that the word sounds too modern.

The translator points out that the movie is composed in English, not Ancient Greek, so using certain modern words is “okay.” She added that it’s not surprising, as Hollywood rarely uses pentameter in their scripts.

Wilson also explained that Greek has several words for “father,” including intimate forms like táta, meaning “daddy.” In her view, Telemachus doesn’t use this intimate term for Odysseus. Instead, he uses it for the enslaved father figure. She speculated that Nolan is making a different choice from the Homeric narrator regarding the character with whom Telemachus has that kind of relationship in The Odyssey.

Wilson then spoke about Lupita Nyong’o’s casting as both Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra. She explained that the women are sisters who function as counterparts to their cousin Penelope. She described them as a trio of elite women who represent different possibilities for an elite wife in their husband’s absence during war. Wilson added that the poem presents Helen and Clytemnestra as parallel figures who also mirror Penelope and her marriage to Odysseus.

Finally, the author discussed Elliot Page’s casting. The interviewer asked whether transness existed in Greek myth. In response, Wilson said, “The Odyssey is not a historical document. But within the world of Greek myth, transness exists.”

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