Whoopi Goldberg used Tuesday’s episode of “The View” to push back on conservative anger over Elliot Page‘s casting in Christopher Nolan‘s “The Odyssey,” dismissing a clip of commentator Ben Shapiro calling the choice a mistake.
Shapiro called Page’s role an “absolute puzzler” before pointing out that he is “about 5’2 and 105 pounds soaking wet and has the voice of a woman. It doesn’t work.”
“A lot of conservatives who see this are going to feel the same way. That’s okay. But I don’t understand. Why go see the movie? If you don’t want to see it, don’t go see it. Why do you care who’s cast in it?” Goldberg said.
Page has a supporting role in the film as Sinon, a cousin of Matt Damon’s Odysseus. The Variety review described Page’s role as “tersely vulnerable.”
Goldberg didn’t stop at defending Page. She also went after the word “woke” itself, telling viewers that the label gets thrown at ordinary people just trying to hold down jobs, raise families and get an education, not at anyone pushing an agenda.
Critics on the right had first seized on inaccurate rumors that Page would be cast as Achilles, with Elon Musk among those weighing in before the actual casting was known. A similarly hostile response met Lupita Nyong’o’s involvement in the project, rooted in racist objections to her casting.
The criticism has had zero effect on box office for “The Odyssey.” Nolan enjoyed the biggest opening of his career with the film, with the global collections now having crossed $300 million.
