Victor Davis Hanson Criticizes Christopher Nolan for Excluding All Greek Actors from Odyssey

What was said

"To make this national epic, which the Greek people feel is a continuous tradition from the 7th, 8th century and not have a single Greek actress or actor is, is kind of jarring when you go out of your way to get other people who would cause controversy and sometimes in a subversive manner."

Historian Victor Davis Hanson argues that Christopher Nolan's decision to cast no Greek actors in The Odyssey—a foundational Greek epic—feels like a deliberate slight to the Greek people, especially when the director has gone out of his way to cast actors who provoke controversy. Hanson contrasts this with Hollywood's historical practice of at least attempting physical or cultural authenticity, even when casting outside ethnicities. His criticism highlights the tension between creative freedom and cultural respect in adapting national epics.