Colman Domingo used his guest-hosting turn on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to deliver a pointed comic response to criticism of Lupita Nyong’o’s casting as Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. The actor turned the debate over a mythological character into a series of jokes, including one aimed at himself.
Domingo, who was filling in while Jimmy Kimmel takes a summer break, argued that objections comparing the casting choice to changing the race of real historical figures were fundamentally misplaced. His central point was that Helen of Troy is not a historical person.
Domingo’s Response to the Criticism
According to USA Today, Domingo played a clip of podcaster and One America News Network producer Chris Cella criticizing Nyong’o’s casting. Cella said, “Casting a Black woman as Helen of Troy is like casting a Black man to play Abraham Lincoln or a White dude to play MLK.”
Domingo answered, “Well, not exactly. Because MLK was real, and Helen of Troy is as real as Harry Potter.” The audience cheered as he extended the bit with a mock audition pitch of his own.
“But I’ll be honest, I agree with that strange little dude,” Domingo said. “Helen of Troy shouldn’t have been played by a Black woman. She should have been played by a Black man, specifically me.”
He capped the joke with, “Daddy wants his Oscar!” Domingo then performed a brief vaudeville-style jig for comic effect.
A Second Joke Targets Melania
Domingo also offered an alternative for viewers unhappy with diversity in The Odyssey. He said those seeking “a film with a cast of all white people who are cursed by the gods” could watch the Melania movie instead.
The line drew its punch from the contrast between a Greek epic and the movie about Melania Trump. Domingo paused before delivering the title, then followed the joke with the dance.
Why Helen of Troy Is Central to the Debate
Helen of Troy is a figure from Greek mythology rather than a documented historical person. She does not appear in Homer’s epic, though she is described as one of the world’s most beautiful women and as “the face that launched 1,000 ships.”
Her abduction is tied to the start of the Trojan War in the mythological story. That distinction formed the basis of Domingo’s rebuttal to the casting comparison.
Nyong’o Has Addressed the Reaction
Nyong’o previously addressed complaints about her role in an interview with Elle in May. “I’m very supportive of Chris’ intention with it and with the version of this story that he is telling,” she said.
She added, “Our cast is representative of the world. I’m not spending my time thinking of a defense. The criticism will exist whether I engage with it or not.”
