Pakistan, May 23 -- Lupita Nyong'o fired back at critics of her casting in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, making it clear she won't let the backlash define her performance.

In a new Elle profile, the Oscar winning actress addressed the controversy including pointed remarks from Elon Musk over her role as Helen of Troy, often described as "the most beautiful woman in the world."

"You can't perform beauty," Nyong'o said. "I want to know who a character is. What is beyond beauty? What is beyond looks?"

The 43-year-old emphasised that Homer's epic is mythological, not historical and praised Nolan's vision for assembling a cast that reflects the world today.

"I'm very supportive of Chris's intention with it and with the version of this s...