Okay, resident mythology nerd has to chime in on the forthcoming cinematic interpretation.
I will dispense with the surface-level arguments against certain casting choices for the central figure of the Iliad narrative - Helen of Sparta - because my objections to the actress cast in the role are not based on appearance.
1. Helen, at the time of the Judgment of Paris, was Queen of Sparta and had anywhere from 1-3 children with Menelaus - her daughter, Hermoine, was definitely born, it is uncertain whether her sons with her husband were born before or after.
- Point is, Aphrodite - the Goddess of Beauty - determined that the "most beautiful woman in the world" was a "hot mama".
- Thus far, the only actress to play Helen in a tv/movie production who was a mother by the time of the role was Rossana Podestà in the 1956 "Helen of Troy" movie.
2. Helen and her brothers were demigods, as they were children of Zeus (as a Swan) and their mother Leda - though there is some debate as to the nature of Zeus' relations with mortal women, for some accounts hold that there weren't physical unions but rather "blessings" which instilled divine nature upon the unborn children - but that's a conversation for another time.
Point is - Helen and her brothers were demigods, and according to Roman versions of Greek myths, Helen was as strong and as fast as her brothers.
- Given that Helen was Spartan, and Spartan women were expected to be physically active and strong, with the mindset that strong women = strong children = strong warriors - Helen was therefore a (for lack of a better term) "Muscle Mommy".
- None of the actresses who have played Helen live up to this "VERY IMPORTANT" characteristic.
That is all... sorry for wasting your time.
Painting by Gaston Bussière
