More Hollywood hypocrisy: Variety demonizes critics of Christopher Nolan's casting in 'The Odyssey'
Variety celebrated authenticity in "Moana" but dismissed critics of Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" casting as trolls, exemplifying Hollywood hypocrisy
Hollywood and its media partners may have abandoned any pretense of creativity, originality, or intelligent filmmaking, but at least it hasn't given up on hypocrisy.
Take, for example, the brilliance of Variety, a publication dedicated to entertainment industry news and coverage. Variety is, like most companies associated with the film business, openly and proudly left-wing. As such, anytime those on the right, or even tangentially associated with the right, notice or say something about a movie or entertainment property, Variety leaps in to defend their political party.
Case in point? The difference in how they have treated the importance of "representation" in two prominent summer big-budget blockbusters.
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On the one hand, there's "Moana." A fictional story based in mythology, set in the Pacific Islands, the original 2016 animated film was widely enjoyed, critically and commercially successful. That led to the inevitable Disney live-action remake, which is the exact opposite. As part of their promotional efforts designed to help the film succeed, Variety posted a link to their story on X, saying, "'Moana' Creatives on Working Closely to Honor Polynesian Culture and Traditions, and Why Representation Matters in the Live-Action Film."
"Why representation matters." So what does that mean in practice? Well, Variety celebrates the film's depiction of Polynesian cultures, saying that the creative team "finally" has something to celebrate.
They quote star Dwayne Johnson inexplicably implying that audiences can only enjoy something when characters look exactly like them. "When I was 8 years old watching Harrison Ford, I was like, ‘I want to be that guy,’ but that guy didn’t look like me,'" Johnson said. "And so, as the film hits screens this weekend, Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander audiences, Johnson, and the film’s cast and creatives are finally finding much to celebrate," the article adds.
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"Aspects such as traditional Māori tribal tattoos, known as Tā moko, the rich expression of history through dance, and generations of Polynesian traditions are the beating heart of Thomas Kail’s adaptation. That left the film’s cast and creatives feeling a sense of pride at seeing their culture represented on screen."
Variety then celebrates how committed the cast and crew was to "representation," saying, "To ensure that the representation was done with respect and authenticity, countless artisans, consultants, experts, advisors, and department heads worked closely with the Cultural Trust."
That's great; the film is based on those cultures and their mythologies and traditions, so getting the details right is an admirable commitment to authenticity and accuracy. Except, and here's where the modern Hollywood tradition of hypocrisy comes into play, this same exact media outlet had the polar opposite reaction to critics of Christopher Nolan's upcoming release of "The Odyssey."
Nolan has received an enormous amount of criticism for his bewildering casting and authenticity choices in "The Odyssey," one of the most legendary stories in Greek mythology and literature. He cast Elliot Page, a 5-foot-1-inch tall transgender actor, as a Greek soldier. Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong'o is Helen of Troy. Zendaya is Athena, a Greek goddess. Other leads in the film include Matt Damon and Tom Holland, who have no Greek ancestry. In fact, not one of the main actors or actresses are Greek. There's modern language, like "Dad," for example, used in the trailer. And the armor and ships depicted are not representative of the time with "The Odyssey" was written.
Many critics have pointed out that this lack of accuracy and authenticity is bizarre, off-putting, and for some, offensive. Not to mention that it would never be tolerated were the story from a different culture. But to Variety? Pointing out these obvious issues makes you a "troll."
In May, left-wing columnist Marlow Stern wrote a story headlined, "‘The Odyssey’: Why Elon Musk and His Troll Army’s Attacks Aren’t Just Silly but Wildly Inaccurate."
Ah. So with "Moana," a fictional animated film from 10 years ago, Variety believes it was vitally important that every detail be "done with respect and authenticity." They cheer that "countless artisans, consultants, experts, and advisors" worked with the creative team to ensure that all Pacific Islander, Polynesian, Maori, or Native Hawaiian traditions were depicted accurately. Dwayne Johnson and the cast and crew are "finally" able to "celebrate," because of representation.
With "The Odyssey," if people point out that these same values are apparently thrown by the wayside with one of the most important, foundational texts in the history of storytelling, they're silly trolls. If you expect hypocrisy from the Hollywood left, you'll never be disappointed.
Here's how Stern's article starts: "From the team that brought you 'Why is Snow White Latina?,' 'Why are there Black people in ‘The Rings of Power?,’' and 'Star Wars has gone woke,' comes the latest online onslaught against an anticipated Hollywood project that committed the unfathomable sin of having a diverse cast."
Makes you wonder whether Stern would have the same reaction if Dwayne Johnson's character in "Moana" had been replaced by say, Chris Pratt. Something tells me she'd have been outraged, furious, launching silly, inaccurate, troll attacks left and right.
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But therein lies the contradiction at the heart of the modern entertainment business. When a story centers around a specific cultural or minority group, all authenticity and representation must be maintained. When Snow White, a character from a German fairytale published in 1812, is played by a Latina actress, it's cause for celebration. We must update all historical stories from European cultures to reflect modern diversity, but don't you dare touch any detail from a protected 10-year-old animated film.
Nothing about this is surprising, but it is illuminating. The entertainment industry is no longer a place devoted to making the best, most entertaining stories possible, but one where the express purpose is promoting and defending a specific type of ideological activism.
No wonder they keep losing money and influence.