Matt Damon says making Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic The Odyssey was the most physically demanding project of his career, describing the production as more of an expedition than a traditional movie.
The Oscar-winning actor, who portrays Odysseus, said filming took the cast across multiple countries, with demanding shoots in Greece, Morocco, Iceland, Scotland, Italy, and later at Universal Studios in California.
The Final Scenes Were the Toughest
Although filming eventually moved into a controlled water tank, Damon said the conditions remained incredibly difficult.
According to the actor, massive jet engines were used to blast water across the set, creating realistic storm conditions. During one of the final scenes, he joked that director Christopher Nolan repeatedly poured water over his face while filming close-up shots, leaving him feeling as though they were “ending the movie with waterboarding.”
Despite the humorous remark, Damon made it clear the sequence pushed everyone involved to their limits.
Overcoming Personal Challenges
The physically intense production also forced Damon to confront some of his own fears.
He admitted that scenes involving confined spaces challenged his claustrophobia, but believes the experience ultimately helped him overcome it. By the end of filming, he said he felt stronger both physically and mentally.
Christopher Nolan’s Demanding Vision
Damon praised Nolan for leading by example throughout the production, saying the director endured the same harsh conditions as the cast.
Whether filming in freezing weather or heavy rain, Damon said Nolan never asked the actors to do anything he wasn’t experiencing himself, which helped build a strong sense of teamwork across the production.
A Career Highlight Despite the Difficulty
While The Odyssey was the hardest film Damon has ever made, he also described it as one of the most rewarding.
He said every member of the cast and crew gave everything they had to bring the ancient Greek epic to life, creating a shared sense of accomplishment after each demanding week of filming.
With an all-star cast that includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron, the film is already generating significant anticipation ahead of its theatrical release.
