Matt Damon went to Aussie mate for help with The Odyssey role
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From Good Will Hunting to The Bourne Identity, The Martian and Saving Private Ryan, Matt Damon has had plenty of career defining roles during his years in Hollywood.
But his latest film is earning the actor high praise, with some even saying an Oscar could be on the horizon for his performance in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
Matt Damon caught up with Dickie to chat about his new film, The Odyssey. Today
Nine entertainment editor, Richard Wilkins, sat down with Damon during his recent visit to London, to find out what went into his preparation for the blockbuster feature role.
“My heart did kind of skip a beat because it’s a big film and a very big role and it might be weird to say, but the fact that (Nolan) saw me in the role really did a lot for my confidence,” Damon said.
“You know, I think if it had been the other way around, if I’d pitched it to him, I would have been a nervous wreck the whole time, but he’s the writer and the director and he’s got a vision for what it’s going to be, s that definitely chilled me out a little bit.”
The Odyssey is easily the most anticipated movie of 2026, with Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron just some of the big names to feature.
Homer’s Greek epic sees Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, undertake a perilous journey home after the Trojan War.
Matt Damon takes on the title role, with incredible scenes showing him face off against mythical beasts such as the cyclops, sirens and the wrath of the gods.
“It’s always a unique experience working with Chris because he wants to push, this was like six or seven different movies in one and every one of these locations was really tough to shoot in for different reasons,” he said.
“And obviously, we were on a boat for months, which is a big no no in movies, the one rule is you don’t shoot on a boat, like stay off the water because it’s really hard to control.”
Damon revealed he had six months to physically prepare for the role of Odysseus, transforming his body and taking on a gruelling fitness routine and diet change to portray the heroic Greek.
And he went to longtime friend and Marvel star, Chris Hemsworth, for tips on getting camera ready.
“That’s usually my first phone call, like, ‘alright, what do I eat? How do I do this, working with my gene pool, not yours?’” he said.
“We talk about that stuff all the time, he has his whole the Centr app and he’s deep into it, so he’s a good person to go to, he’s a good resource.”
The Odyssey is in cinemas next Thursday and tune in tomorrow for Dickie’s sit down with Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland and Zendaya.
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