The filming of Christopher Nolan’s epic, ‘The Odyssey‘, was always going to be a tough shoot. The director told his cast that from the very start. But for Matt Damon, the most humbling moment did not come from fighting mythical monsters. It came from a steep Greek hillside and the sudden realization that he was the only one on set not carrying his own weight.
Damon has admitted he “felt like a jerk” after a mistake on the first day of shooting forced a crew member to haul his heavy armor up a mountain.
Matt Damon Vows to Change After Feeling Like a “Jerk” on Set
The actor shared the story during an appearance on The Sara Cox Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2. It shows the big difference between the usual perks of being a movie star and the hard working, equal treatment you get on a Nolan set. The production for this star-filled version of Homer’s ancient Greek epic took place in six countries, including Greece, Morocco, Italy, and Iceland. The cast and crew often had to make difficult hikes to reach remote locations.
On that first day in Greece, Damon, who plays the cunning King of Ithaca, made the climb to a cave location after a long “20- to 25-minute hike” without carrying anything. He said he was “so used to a hair and wardrobe person carrying your costume,” which is a normal convenience on big-budget films. But his view changed when he looked back down the path.
“And then I saw the guy handling my wardrobe, Corey, coming up the hill carrying my armour,” Damon said. “I felt like such a… I can’t say what I felt like; there are families listening… but I felt like a jerk!” He felt even worse when the actors playing his crew members showed up a few minutes later. They were not making the wardrobe department carry their things. “And then all the guys who play my crew come up and they’re all wearing their armour, so the wardrobe crew don’t have to carry it,” he said. “I felt awful. I apologised profusely to Corey and said that it would never happen again.”
Christopher Nolan’s Tough Filming Style and ‘The Odyssey’ Release Date
The incident was a sharp lesson for the Hollywood veteran, who promised to do things differently for the rest of the difficult shoot. “So we would get kitted up and then just go,” he added. He said the whole experience of working with Nolan felt like “more of an expedition than a movie because everyone is in it together.” He also noted that no one got special treatment, not even the director.
In case you missed it: “All I Can Do Is Make the Best Film”: Christopher Nolan Refuses to Bow to Online Critics Over ‘The Odyssey’ Casting
Damon has praised Nolan’s hands-on approach before, saying the director “never complaining” about the hard work. During an interview on the Today show, he talked about how Nolan would suffer right along with the cast, even if that meant looking “like a drowned rat” in bad weather. The director, who is known for using real effects instead of green screens, had warned Damon that the shoot would be “really hard.” ‘The Odyssey‘ is set to come out in theaters on July 17, 2026.
You might also want to read: “I Wanted an Earthy Narrative”: Christopher Nolan Defends Modern English Dialogue in ‘The Odyssey’ Amid Backlash
