The Odyssey star who quietly helped Christopher Nolan direct scenes

If you ever thought directing a Christopher Nolan epic was a two-person job, well, Lupita Nyong'o's just given us proof—and a decent behind-the-scenes anecdote too. It's not every day an Oscar-winner casually ends up playing both lead and unofficial director alongside someone as famously hands-on as Nolan himself, but that's apparently what went down on The Odyssey, which is finally out in cinemas today.

When Nolan Hands Over the Reins (Sort Of)

Nyong'o popped up on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night to talk about her double role in The Odyssey, where she plays both Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra. Fallon, in his usual chatty style, asked what working with Nolan was like. Her reply? Pretty much: 'He'll ask you to do things you've never done before.'

Lupita described one scene where she's Clytemnestra—Helen's sister and the wife of Agamemnon. There's a bit where Agamemnon comes home, Clytemnestra's doing this ritual bathing thing—nothing that's going to ruin the film for you, apparently, it's a quick moment. But in the middle of all that, Nolan just turns to her and says:

'Lupita, will you give the background actors their tasks?'

Her first thought? 'Wait, have I ever done this before?... Isn't there someone who is supposed to do this?'

Doubling Up: Acting and Directing

Now, it's worth highlighting that this isn't the normal way of working on a big studio film—unless, of course, you're in a Nolan production, it seems. Nyong'o quickly clocked what he was after: since Clytemnestra is the queen, she'd naturally be handing out orders to the servants anyway. So, in a bit of actorly multitasking, she pulled the attendants (the background actors) together, gave them specific jobs, and once the cameras rolled, managed her own performance while also keeping tabs on everyone else's business in the background.

After the take, she even gave notes on how they could improve—which, let's be honest, is very much the director's job. At that point, the penny dropped: 'I just co-directed with Chris Nolan.' Fallon gave her the nod, the audience clapped, and she's now got a cracking story for press tours.

Who's Who in This Wild Greek Tale?

• Lupita Nyong'o plays both Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra (bit of a flex on the Greek classics front, if you ask me).
• Chris Nolan is, of course, directing—and apparently delegating a bit.

Worth noting: Nyong'o was clear she'd done her homework and knew exactly what her royal alter ego would want from her attendants. If nothing else, it's a reminder that sometimes those drama school exercises actually come in handy on a multi-million dollar set.

The Odyssey is in cinemas now, if you're keen to see how all those behind-the-scenes quirks look on screen.