Actor Colman Domingo, guest-hosting “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Monday, addressed conservative backlash regarding the casting of the film “The Odyssey,” poking fun at the controversy with a comparison to a documentary about former first lady Melania Trump.
Domingo presented a clip of a commentator expressing outrage over the casting of Lupita Nyong’o, a Black actress, as Helen of Troy. The commentator likened the decision to casting a Black man as Abraham Lincoln or a white man as Martin Luther King Jr.
Domingo countered the criticism by pointing out that Helen of Troy is a mythological figure, unlike historical figures such as MLK. "I'll be honest, I agree with that strange little dude," Domingo said. "Helen of Troy shouldn't have been played by a Black woman. She should have been played by a Black man — specifically me!"
He then offered an alternative for viewers who were reportedly upset about the film's diverse cast. "I have a message for everyone who was upset about diversity and ‘The Odyssey’: If you want to see a film with a cast of all white people who are cursed by the gods, the Melania movie is currently streaming,” Domingo stated, referencing a widely criticized documentary about Melania Trump.