Matt Damon Calls ‘The Odyssey’ the “Pinnacle of My Entire Career”

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Matt Damon has starred in many fantastic films like The Talented Mr. Ripley, Interstellar, the Bourne series, Good Will Hunting, Saving Private Ryan, and The Departed. However, Damon says his experience working on Christopher Nolan’s new film, based on The Odyssey, was the best of his career. This summer, audiences will be able to see Damon as Odysseus, returning home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, in the immersive format of IMAX. The film features Odysseus and his crew facing mythical creatures and dangerous challenges, including the cyclops Polyphemus and the enchanting Sirens.

This week, Matt Damon appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with his The Rip co-star, Ben Affleck. Fallon asked Damon about his experience filming with director Christopher Nolan last year, and here’s what he had to say:

That was amazing! It truly was the highlight of my career, and I enjoyed every single moment.

Ben Affleck and his children had a special visit to the set of The Odyssey. They were the only people allowed on set that day and got to see the crew create a real storm for a scene involving sailors at sea.

My kids usually avoid visiting my film sets, always claiming they have school. But they were excited to see this one, especially my middle child who’s a fan of The Odyssey. This production feels like the classic Hollywood filmmaking style – big, sweeping, and shot practically like David Lean’s films. Chris, the director, is incredibly dedicated and someone I really respect. He’s focused on work, so I truly appreciated him allowing me to visit. My kids enjoyed it too, which was great, and I was very thankful for the experience.

Getting into Shape as Odysseus, King of Ithaca


Universal Pictures

Matt Damon underwent a physical transformation to play the iconic hero from Homer’s poem. He didn’t just grow a beard to look older; he also lost a significant amount of weight. The 55-year-old actor shared this on the New Heights podcast with Travis and Jason Kelce, explaining that the director had a specific vision for his appearance in the film.

I got into great shape for the role, losing a significant amount of weight. Nolan wanted me to be lean and strong, and I also cut out gluten on my doctor’s advice. I typically weighed between 185 and 200 pounds, but I filmed the entire movie at 167 – the lightest I’ve been since high school. It took a lot of intense training and a very disciplined diet to achieve that.

Christopher Nolan has assembled a stellar cast for his new film, featuring Cillian Murphy alongside Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Robert Pattinson, Himesh Patel, John Leguizamo, and Mia Goth. Lupita Nyong’o, James Remar, Elliot Page, Samantha Morton, and Logan Marshall-Green also star in currently unnamed roles. Based on The Odyssey, the movie is scheduled to hit theaters on July 17th.

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2026-01-14 22:18