Matt Damon Sheds Pounds for Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Role
Matt Damon opens up about his dramatic transformation for Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’, revealing the lengths he went to in order to embody his character.
Matt Damon has spoken candidly about the physical transformation he underwent for his part in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic, ‘The Odyssey’. The film, which is set to premiere in July 2026, features a star-studded ensemble including Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Jon Bernthal, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, and Mia Goth, with Damon taking a central role.
During a recent appearance on the New Heights Podcast, Damon discussed the rigorous preparation required for the project.
“I was in really good shape. I lost a lot of weight,”
he told hosts Travis and Jason Kelce, reflecting on the demands of the role. Nolan, he explained, had a specific vision for his character’s physique:
“wanted me lean but strong.”
Damon went on to describe the approach he took, saying,
“Just because of this other thing that I did with my doctor, I stopped eating gluten. I used to walk around at between 185 and 200, and I did that whole movie at 167.”
The actor, best known for his work in ‘Good Will Hunting’, admitted that it had been decades since he last weighed so little.
“And I haven’t been that light since high school. So it was a lot of training and a really strict diet.”
The process, he implied, was far from easy, requiring both discipline and a fair bit of willpower.
Filming Challenges and Technical Innovations
Elsewhere in the conversation, Damon delved into the technical side of filming ‘The Odyssey’, particularly the use of IMAX cameras. He described the experience as rather intense, noting,
“IMAX cameras are really loud. It sounds like a blender, like a Cuisinart in your face when the camera’s close to you.”
According to Damon, dialogue scenes of this nature had never previously been captured using IMAX technology.
He elaborated on the difficulties this presented:
“We couldn’t have this conversation with a normal Imax camera because you wouldn’t be able to hear us,”
he remarked. The solution, as Damon explained, involved constructing a substantial enclosure around the camera for dialogue sequences, along with a system of mirrors to maintain the actors’ eye lines.
“They built this giant thing around the Imax for those dialogue scenes and a system of mirrors so your eye line would be close to the camera and you could talk to the other actor.”
Nolan’s Determination and Cast Dynamics
Damon was quick to praise Nolan’s commitment to the project, highlighting the director’s determination to shoot the entire film in IMAX.
“The amount of work that went into figuring out how to do (that), because he wanted to do 100 per cent IMAX and he did it!”
he said, clearly impressed by the lengths to which the production team went to achieve the desired effect.
With such a formidable cast and a director known for his ambitious vision, ‘The Odyssey’ is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about releases of the year. Damon’s own journey—both physical and professional—offers a glimpse into the dedication required to bring such a project to life.