All articles tagged with #casting backlash
Lupita Nyong’o faces renewed online backlash after resurfaced praise for Black Panther’s respectful portrayal of Africa while defending her dual role in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, fueling accusations of a double standard in representation; the controversy comes as The Odyssey’s cast and myth-setting draw attention ahead of its July 17, 2026 release.
Lupita Nyong’o addresses racist reactions to her casting as Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, calling the mythological tale a reflection of a diverse, global world and saying her interpretation goes beyond beauty; she defends Nolan’s vision and notes the cast’s representativeness, while acknowledging the backlash will persist.
Paapa Essiedu says he has received race-fuelled death threats over his casting as Professor Snape in the HBO Max Harry Potter series, including messages telling him to quit or he’ll be murdered. He says the abuse fuels him and won’t deter his performance, as the series—set to debut in 2027 with a largely new cast—locks in a ten-year commitment for Essiedu.
Odessa A'zion has dropped out of Sean Durkin’s A24 adaptation Deep Cuts after online backlash over her casting as Zoe Gutierrez, a Mexican Jewish character; she said she hadn’t read the book and agreed with the criticism, posting that she’s out and that others could play the role. Deep Cuts is based on Holly Brickley’s 2021 novel and set in the 2000s about two music-obsessed twenty-somethings, with Cailee Spaeny and Drew Starkey starring after Saoirse Ronan and Austin Butler exited due to scheduling.
Odessa A’zion has withdrawn from Sean Durkin’s Deep Cuts, the A24 adaptation of Holly Brickley’s novel, following online backlash to her casting as Zoe Gutierrez, a half-Mexican and half-Jewish character. She said she hadn’t read the book when she accepted the role and apologized to fans, noting the project was set to shoot in February with Cailee Spaeny and Drew Starkey.