More than three decades in Hollywood, close to 80 films, and a long list of iconic roles — you'd think Matt Damon had seen it all. Yet he says nothing in his career prepared him for what awaited on the set of Christopher Nolan's new film, The Odyssey.
Damon calls it the hardest job he has ever taken on — a shoot that pushed him not only physically, but mentally too.
The Odyssey has already become one of the year's most anticipated films. In Nolan's sweeping adaptation, Damon plays the legendary Greek hero Odysseus, whose long and perilous journey home forms the heart of the story.
Christopher Nolan warned him from the very start
Speaking on Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist, Damon recalled that Nolan flagged the challenge during their very first conversation: this was not going to be an ordinary shoot.
At first, the actor assumed that after so many films, little could surprise him anymore. But Nolan kept it simple:
"This movie is going to be really hard."
Looking back, Damon says the director wasn't exaggerating for a second.
More expedition than movie shoot
The production carried the crew to some of the most striking locations on the planet. The cast worked on Moroccan coastlines, mountain peaks and ships, often in wildly unpredictable weather, according to Fox News.
For Damon, daily life on set meant constant physical strain.
"A lot of the time it felt more like being on an expedition than on a film set."
He says the cold, the rain, the wind and the long working days tested everyone — but that shared hardship is exactly what bonded the crew together. Everyone endured the same conditions, and that created a rare sense of camaraderie.
If you're curious about the story itself, it's worth revisiting the star-studded cast Nolan assembled for The Odyssey.
At 55, he underwent a serious transformation
To play Odysseus, Damon went through significant physical preparation. As he revealed earlier on the New Heights podcast, Nolan envisioned a hero who was lean and strong at the same time.
To get there, the actor trained intensely for months and followed a strict diet. He lost a considerable amount of weight, dropping to around 76 kilograms (about 168 pounds) during filming — by his own account, the lightest he'd been since high school.
As he put it, preparing like that in your fifties is a serious challenge all on its own.
One dietary change ended up reshaping his whole life
An unexpected decision also played a part in that transformation. On his doctor's advice, Damon cut gluten out of his diet completely.
According to Fox News, the actor later told Amy Poehler on her podcast that he originally made the change just for the role — but ended up sticking with it long term.
He says he never realized how much gluten had been affecting how he felt. He misses bread, pasta, pizza and the occasional beer, but he feels his quality of life has improved significantly since the switch.
It's worth stressing, though, that a gluten-free diet isn't necessary for everyone. Without celiac disease or another medically confirmed reason, it should only be adopted on the advice of a doctor or dietitian.
Christopher Nolan led by example
Damon also had special praise for Christopher Nolan's work ethic. According to the actor, even in the toughest conditions the director faced the exact same hardships as the rest of the crew.
Through cold, rain and storms, Nolan stayed on location the entire time, and Damon says he never once complained. That meant a lot to the cast, who could see the director shouldering the same struggles right alongside them.
Everything is in place for a spectacular hit
Nolan's new film has been surrounded by huge anticipation for months. The Odyssey promises to be special not only for its breathtaking locations and epic story, but because — as the cast describes it — it demanded truly superhuman effort from everyone involved.
The Odyssey is now playing in theaters.
What is The Odyssey about?
It's Christopher Nolan's spectacular adaptation of the classic Greek tale, following the legendary hero Odysseus on his long and dangerous journey home. Matt Damon plays the lead role.
Why does Matt Damon call it his hardest shoot?
Because of the relentless physical demands and extreme filming conditions — cold, rain, wind and long days across remote locations. Damon said it often felt more like an expedition than a movie set.
How did Matt Damon prepare for the role of Odysseus?
He trained intensely for months and followed a strict diet, dropping to around 76 kilograms (about 168 pounds) — the lightest he had been since high school.
Did Matt Damon really give up gluten?
Yes. He originally cut gluten on his doctor's advice for the role, but stuck with it long term because he felt his quality of life improved, even though he misses foods like bread, pasta and pizza.
