Elliot Page at The Odyssey Premiere: Why the Online Drama Doesn’t Make Sense

A Fun Night on the Red Carpet

Elliot Page walked the red carpet earlier this week for the New York City premiere of the movie The Odyssey. He had a great time with his girlfriend, Julia Shiplett (who stars in Overcompensating), and friends like:

• Actress Peppermint
• Comedian James Tom
• ACLU attorney Chase Strangio

Some people online (especially right-wing transphobes sitting at home behind keyboards) were not happy about it. But for Elliot, it looked like a lovely evening: a hit movie, a beautiful partner, and fun with pals.

Why Some People Got Upset Online

After the premiere, short clips from the movie were leaked online. Without giving away the story (it’s Christopher Nolan’s version of Homer’s old epic poem), the clips seem to show Elliot’s character, named Sinon, looking dehydrated and scrambling on a beach. This made some conservative transphobes angry.

Many complained that Elliot looked weak and “not like Achilles.” But here’s the simple truth:

• Elliot is not playing Achilles.
• He is playing Sinon, a different character.

One confused commenter even wrote: “how the fuck did they hurt achilles what”

Where the Confusion Started

Back in May, a rumor said Elliot would play Achilles in the new Christopher Nolan movie based on the Greek epic. Transphobes like Elon Musk didn’t like that idea. A Newsmax anchor named Rob Finnerty called Achilles the “most famous warrior in all of history” while criticizing Elliot.

But wait — let’s keep it simple:

• The Odyssey is a story made up a long time ago (fiction).
• Achilles is a character from Greek myths (stories about gods and heroes that aren’t real history).
• There is no “historical accuracy” to worry about because it’s basically a glorified fable (a made-up tale with a lesson or adventure).

Important Point: Just because a story is old and famous doesn’t mean it’s real history. Myths are not facts!

The Truth About Elliot’s Role

In late June, it was confirmed that Elliot is actually playing Sinon. In another old story called Virgil’s Aeneid, Sinon is a sneaky trickster who tricks the Trojan army into bringing in a giant wooden horse hiding Greek warriors.

Remember: actors pretend to be people they’re not. That’s called acting!

• If a 10-second leak shows Elliot looking feeble, that probably means he’s doing a good job as Sinon.
• The real Elliot can clearly run with armor if he wants to (he’s fit in real life).

Sadly, transphobes aren’t great at checking facts, so no matter how well he plays Sinon, some will complain. One wrote: “How ANYONE could pay to watch this is beyond me.”

People Still Want to See the Movie

Even with the online confusion about Achilles vs. Sinon (and myth vs. history), lots of people will watch the film. Box-office guesses say The Odyssey could make a huge $200 million globally on its opening weekend.

We’ll be avoiding spoilers and going to see Elliot do great in this super-anticipated movie!

Summary

Elliot Page had a fun premiere for The Odyssey with his girlfriend and friends. Online transphobes got mad because they thought he was playing Achilles, but he’s actually playing Sinon, a myth character who is supposed to look rough. The movie is based on fiction, not real history, and tons of people are still excited to see it.

FAQ

1. Who is Elliot Page playing in The Odyssey?
He is playing Sinon, a trickster from Greek myth (described in Virgil’s Aeneid), not Achilles.

2. Why were some people online angry?
They mistakenly thought he was playing Achilles and didn’t like a trans actor in that role. Leaked clips of him looking weak as Sinon also upset them.

3. Is The Odyssey based on real history?
No. It’s a fictional epic poem by Homer about Greek myths. Achilles and Sinon are myth characters, not real people.

4. How well is the movie expected to do?
Experts predict around $200 million worldwide on its opening weekend, so very well!

5. What is “acting”?
Acting is when someone pretends to be a character who may be nothing like them in real life — like looking weak on purpose for a role.