Without question, The Odyssey is going to define this summer’s slate of films, and possibly the year of cinematic action. The latest trailer may have, quite rightly, raised some questions about the film and its creative choices – such as with the use of modern phrases and American accents – but it’ll still be a juggernaut when it releases.
En route to its 17 July premiere, writer-director Christopher Nolan has been doing the rounds. The British filmmaker has teased out bits of information about his cast and characters, with the role of Lupita Nyong’o being particularly intriguing. She’ll play Helen of Troy to open the film, but also her lesser-known sister.
Who is the Sister of Helen of Troy? The mythical tale of the Trojan War is legendary, as are its main characters. Perhaps the most influential figure in the story is Helen of Troy. Described as the most beautiful woman in the world throughout its many retellings, she was married to King Menelaus of Sparta. Then, she decided to marry Paris of Troy, commending the war.
Her romance with Paris and the strife it causes the city, and how it created heroes on both sides of the war, is among the most famous stories from Ancient Greek lore. It’s why people generally know her name over that of the King of Mycenae, and why she adorns the title of the Troy game, Age of the Gods: Epic Troy.
Nations went to war over who she chose to give her affections to, which is the
basis of the game found at the best bingo sites. Helen plays as the highest-paying symbol, above Paris and even Achilles. While those other two main characters also get respin bonuses, Helen’s Respins are the best, giving players more respins on the reset than others.
Helen of Troy’s lesser-known sister is Clytemnestra. Technically a half-sister of the immortalised Helen, Clytemnestra was married to the King of Mycenae, Agamemnon, who commanded the Achaeans in the Trojan War. It’s Agamemnon who summons the Greeks, blackmails Odysseus into fighting, and, in some tales, is killed upon his return home by Clytemnestra, who has taken another lover in his time away.
Lupita Nyong’o to Flex Her Acting Chops in Double RoleThe immensely talented actor, who also
believes that she was a musician in a past life, is now confirmed to be playing Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra. On-screen, this means that she’ll be married to Jon Bernthal’s Menelaus as Helen and Benny Safdie’s Agamemnon as Clytemnestra.
After making
her successful stage debut at the back end of the year, there is no doubt that Nyong’o will be able to pull off playing two different characters in the same film. With her performances locked in, it’ll then be down to Nolan working some movie magic to make it work.
Editing will play a big part in this. Early in The Odyssey, we expect to see the crescendo of the Trojan War, or at least be given a look at the run-up to the war. With this, the story could naturally flow from a scene with Clytemnestra and Agamemnon recruiting Odysseus before cutting to Troy with Helen, Mycenae, and Paris.
So, it’ll be up to the filmmaker to decide how best to show the two performances of Nyong’o in his upcoming epic. Even within this star-studded cast, Nyong’o’s performances will undoubtedly be a huge talking point.
