Elliot Page in The Odyssey: happy, thriving, and not Achilles
Elliot Page plays Sinon—not Achilles—in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, a Greek soldier tied to the Trojan War and the wooden-horse deception. After months of transphobic backlash over false casting rumors, Page walked the New York premiere with girlfriend Julia Shiplett as the epic opens July 17 to blockbuster projections.
Key Takeaways
- Page portrays Sinon, a Trojan War figure from Virgil's Aeneid—not the warrior Achilles critics assumed.
- Right-wing backlash erupted over leaked clips and rumors, but Nolan called the outrage irrelevant.
- Nolan reimagines Sinon as an honorable soldier who unknowingly aids the Trojan Horse ruse.
- The Odyssey opens in UK and US cinemas on 17 July with a projected $200 million global debut.
Who does Elliot Page play in The Odyssey?
Page stars as Sinon, a Greek soldier who fought alongside his cousin Odysseus, played by Matt Damon, during the Trojan War. Sinon does not appear in Homer's original epic; his story comes from Virgil's Aeneid and later sources like Quintus of Smyrna.
In mythology, Sinon tricked the Trojans into wheeling the giant wooden horse inside their city walls—a moment that sealed Troy's downfall. Nolan's film reportedly kills Sinon during that ordeal, though Odysseus later speaks with his spirit in the underworld.
Why did transphobic backlash erupt over Page's casting?
When Page joined Christopher Nolan's cast, rumors spread that he would play Achilles. Elon Musk and Newsmax anchor Rob Finnerty criticised the choice, with Finnerty calling Achilles history's most famous warrior—despite Achilles being a mythological figure, not a historical one.
Leaked footage showing Page's Sinon dehydrated and struggling on a beach reignited the outrage. Commenters mocked the actor for looking weak, apparently still believing he was Achilles. Page is not playing that role, and portraying vulnerability is simply acting.
How does Nolan reimagine Sinon from Greek mythology?
According to Nerdist, Nolan's Sinon is far more honorable than Virgil's infamous liar. Page's character honestly believes the Trojan Horse is a gift to Athena from departing Greeks and knows nothing of its true purpose as a hiding place for soldiers.
Nolan also changes Sinon's parentage. In myth he is often the son of Hermes; here he is the son of a servant in the household of Robert Pattinson's Antinous. Though Sinon appears in only a handful of scenes, his arc frames Odysseus's failures and the cost of false glory.
What is happening with Page beyond the film?
While critics fumed online, Page appeared happy at The Odyssey's New York premiere alongside girlfriend Julia Shiplett, star of Overcompensating, plus friends including Peppermint, James Tom, and ACLU attorney Chase Strangio. Box-office trackers project a staggering $200 million global opening weekend for Nolan's adaptation.
For more on how blockbuster filmmaking is reshaping culture and spectacle, explore our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage. Full details on Sinon's mythological roots are documented by PinkNews.