As one of the many A-listers starring in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic The Odyssey, Lupita Nyong’o has been in full-on Hollywood movie star mode this month while promoting the movie. “It has been a deep, deep honor to be a part of this film,” says Nyong’o, who co-stars alongside Zendaya, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron, Matt Damon, Samantha Morton, and Anne Hathaway. “Diving into Homer’s epic was a thrilling challenge. What excited me most was the sheer, epic scale of the story, and how it has resonated with every generation for so many centuries.”
The Oscar-winning actor pretty much has her pick of scripts these days, and Nyong’o admits that it was working with the film’s famed director, Nolan, that drew her most to participating in the ambitious new project. “When you get a call saying Christopher Nolan wants to meet with you, you say ‘yes’ before you even know what the role is,” says Nyong’o. “In Chris’s hands, I knew it would be deeply impactful for those of us who were blessed to be in it, and those who chose to experience it.”
Nyong’o’s specific part in the film, though, also provided an intriguing new challenge. She portrays dual roles on the big screen, playing both Helen of Troy and her sister, Clytemnestra. “I was only on set for a few days, and I relished every moment of it,” says Nyong’o. “The process of building the visual identity of both Helen and Clytemnestra is something I will particularly cherish,” she says. “Working with Chris, Ellen Mirojnick on the costumes, and Louisa Abel on the hair and makeup was full of deep research and imagination that helped me find exciting distinctions between the sisters.”
Just as fun, however, is the fashion experimentation that Nyong’o played out during the film’s whirlwind press tour this month. Similar to her co-stars like Zendaya (who has been embracing vintage) and Anne Hathaway (who is nailing maternity-glam), Nyong’o has been working with her longtime stylist Micaela Erlanger to find strong, commanding red carpet looks that turn heads at the various global premieres. “The Odyssey is an epic of grand proportions in which I get to play two iconic queens,” says Nyong’o, “so we wanted the outfits to encapsulate strength, structure, and an inherent sensuality.”
