Tom Holland, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Zendaya in 'The Odyssey.' Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures (5) Logo text The Odyssey has arrived, and with it comes a star-studded cast of Hollywood A-listers.
Following the success of Christopher Nolan’s 2023 blockbuster Oppenheimer, which earned him his first Academy Awards for best director and best picture, audiences eagerly awaited the filmmaker’s next project. Nolan’s follow-up was revealed to be an adaptation of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, which follows Greek king Odysseus on his 10-year journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War as he attempts to reunite with his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus.
For the ambitious adaptation, Nolan assembled a mix of longtime collaborators, including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson, alongside actors making their first film with the director. While some casting choices sparked pre-release discussion, Nolan dismissed the backlash as “irrelevant” before audiences had even seen the movie.
Now that The Odyssey is in theaters, The Hollywood Reporter breaks down the film’s all-star cast, the characters they portray and the actors bringing Homer’s ancient Greek epic to life in the first feature film shot entirely with Imax 70mm film cameras.
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Matt Damon as Odysseus
Image Credit: Getty Images; Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures Logo text Matt Damon portrays the king of Ithaca, Odysseus, who was the mastermind behind the Trojan Horse ploy that ended the Trojan War. Alongside his crew, Odysseus attempts to return home but comes across gods, sorceresses, giants and other obstacles along the way.
Damon has called the role “the role of a lifetime,” revealing that he spent six months preparing both mentally and physically, including following a strict diet that cut out gluten and alcohol. He also described the film as “definitely the hardest movie I’ve ever done.” The Odyssey marks Damon’s third collaboration with Nolan after Interstellar and Oppenheimer.
With more than 80 film credits to his name, Damon won an Oscar for best original screenplay for Good Will Hunting (1997), which he co-wrote with his real-life best friend and frequent collaborator Ben Affleck. His other acclaimed performances include The Martian, The Departed, the Bourne franchise and Saving Private Ryan.
