The ghost of Achilles is replaced with the ghost of Sinon, who does not actually appear in The Odyssey.
In the upcoming release of “The Odyssey” directed by Christopher Nolan, trans-identified female actress Elliot Page plays the character Sinon, who also reportedly replaces the ghost of Achilles in the film’s writing of the epic from Homer.
A key scene in the original Odyssey written by Homer is one in which Odysseus journeys to the underworld and encounters the ghost of Achilles. In the classic scene, Odysseus attempts to comfort Achilles and praises him for his god-like status. The ghost of Achilles, however, is distraught and says that he would rather be a living slave on earth than rule over the dead.
In Nolan’s depiction of the story, however, the ghost of Achilles is replaced with the ghost of Sinon, or Page’s character, according to film critic Chris Gore.
While speaking on a podcast, Gore said that when Odysseus goes to Hades, it is Sinon that Odysseus speaks to and not the ghost of Achilles like in the original story.
Sinon, played by Page, is killed in the beginning of the story and is seen running on a beach in one scene. The clip has been going viral on X, with many people commenting that Page’s running does not look particularly masculine.
There has been widespread backlash against the film for the casting of Page as the male Greek warrior when Page is still a biological female. However, it is not the only casting decision that has drawn fire online. Nolan also cast Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy, the face that launched a thousand ships. Many have pointed out that in ancient Greece, the character of Helen of Troy would likely be white or have olive-colored skin. Nolan also used a modern language translation.
