Jimmy Kimmel just torched Elon Musk over his The Odyssey casting rant. The late-night host clapped back at Musk’s criticism of Christopher Nolan’s casting with a brutal comparison to one of his own products.
Kimmel targeted Musk for opposing Lupita Nyong’o’s casting as Helen of Troy in Nolan’s upcoming film. The host told Musk to “stay in your lane” after reading out several of Musk’s posts on the topic.
Musk had posted that “Chris Nolan desecrated The Odyssey so that he would be eligible for an Academy Award.” He then asked, “Who specifically is the a–hole who added DEI lies to Academy Awards eligibility instead of it just being about making the best movie?” Kimmel responded by flashing a photo of the Tesla Cybertruck on screen and firing back, “Who specifically is the a–hole who thought this was a cool design for a truck?”
The controversy started when conservative commentator Matt Walsh argued on X that Nolan made the casting choice out of fear of being labeled “racist.” Musk responded to Walsh’s post with a single word: “True.” He later separately suggested Nolan’s motivation was awards eligibility, writing, “He wants the awards.”
Kimmel addressed the broader backlash by pointing out that Helen of Troy was a mythical figure. He stated, “Helen of Troy was also not real. The Odyssey is a mythical poem.” He added that Helen “was the daughter of Zeus,” who “disguised himself as a swan” and argued, “It makes no difference to anyone but crazy, angry people what color she was.”
Nolan’s The Odyssey features Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland as Telemachus, and Zendaya as Athena. The film opens in U.S. cinemas on July 17. Actor Alec Baldwin also entered the debate, posting a photo of Nyong’o with the message, “Dear Elon… but she IS the most beautiful woman in the world.”
