In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the 55-year-old actor opened up about the grueling conditions of filming the massive production—revealing that when it came to suffering for the craft, Hollywood hierarchy went right out the window.
The Great Equalizer: The Open Ocean
Filming a sprawling sea epic means dealing with Mother Nature’s worst moods. For Damon, who steps into the legendary sandals of Odysseus, the sheer physical intensity of the shoot meant everyone—from the top of the call sheet to the production assistants—shared the exact same hardships.
“There was no special treatment,” Damon confessed. “If you’re out on a boat in the middle of the ocean and you get caught in a storm, you get wet with everybody else.”
According to the actor, the harsh realities of the open ocean meant standard movie-star luxuries were completely off the table.
“Nobody’s getting a hot beverage that you’re not getting. You know what I mean? Everybody’s on equal footing, including Chris, who was just as cold and wet as everybody else throughout the whole thing.”
Bonded by the Storm
Knowing that the mastermind behind the camera was shivering right alongside them made a massive difference for the cast, which features an ensemble lineup including Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, and Robert Pattinson.
Damon noted that Nolan’s hands-on approach and willingness to endure the exact same punishing environment created an incredibly tight-knit unit.
- A Shared Struggle: Experiencing the intense weather side-by-side stripped away the typical Hollywood divide between elite talent and crew.
- True Camaraderie: “So that made it feel like we were really all in it together, because we were,” Damon added. “I do feel really bonded with everybody who was on that movie, cast and crew, because it was so challenging for everyone.”
More Like an Expedition Than a Movie
Adapting Homer’s foundational Greek poem is an entirely different beast compared to a standard studio shoot. The epic saga unfolds across 24 non-linear books and follows the perilous 10-year journey of Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, as he struggles to return home after the Trojan War.
Translating that massive, god-defying voyage to IMAX screens required a level of endurance that felt closer to a historical voyage than a Hollywood production.
“Every single day of filming that movie stands out because it felt more like an expedition than a film,” Damon explained.
To bring Nolan’s uncompromising vision to life, the entire production had to work at absolute peak capacity, with zero room for slacking off.
“It was so difficult to get the shots that we got, the way that we got them, that it really required every single person on that cast and crew to just completely max out day after day after day,” he continued.
With The Odyssey scheduled to hit theaters this July, anticipation is reaching a fever pitch. If Damon’s behind-the-scenes insights are any indication, audiences aren’t just getting a movie—they’re getting a front-row seat to a masterclass in cinematic survival.
We’ll see if all that freezing rain and lack of hot cocoa pays off when Odysseus finally makes his way home to the big screen.
