Matt Damon reveals one scary thing he won’t do again after ‘The Odyssey’: ‘It’s not something I’ll do again’ |
Matt Damon has opened up about the extensive preparation required to play King Odysseus Christopher NolanA very powerful change, revealing one extreme way of making a film that he will never do again. The Oscar-winning actor discussed the challenges of bringing Homer’s ancient Greek poem to the show, describing it as the most challenging of his career.According to this week’s PEOPLE magazine cover story, Damon prepared for the role by dropping down to 167 pounds, his high school weight. This dramatic change required a major lifestyle change and not just weight loss. “I didn’t change in a healthy way. I think if I had done something different and gained weight, it would have been dangerous, and it’s not something I will do again. I was happy to do this earlier in my life,” Damon told the book.
Damon did a lot of exercise and diet to bring King Odysseus to life in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Image credit (Instagram)
To match the tortured and troubled Odysseus, who travels 20 years to return to his wife and son, Damon gave up gluten “in part,” he says. Dietary changes represent one aspect of lifelong change. “It was more about getting really fit, which just means changing your diet, changing your lifestyle. You have to be very intentional about everything you put in your body,” Damon said.
Physically important shots on multiple continents
The production of ‘The Odyssey’ pushed both the cast and crew to their limits. Filming took place in Iceland, Scotland, Greece, Italy and Morocco, requiring the entire team to travel through difficult terrain and inclement weather. Damon found inspiration in the collective commitment of all involved to achieve this vision.“This movie was the hardest movie, the hardest movie I’ve ever been on,” says Damon, explaining how those involved were “overwhelming and defying what they thought was possible.” Instead of making a traditional film, his production turned out to be very different. “It felt like a trip to the movies,” says Damon, emphasizing the work’s dynamic and exhausting nature.The difficult conditions tested everyone equally. “And if you’re cold and wet, you just turn around, and look, and Chris was cold and wet going through it,” said Damon, showing how the director shared the physical and emotional demands placed on the actors. By the end of each week, the entire team is exhausted. “People were just running on fumes. But that feeling of excitement when we got to the end of the week, and we looked around and it was real pride like, ‘Okay, that’s another weekend.’‘And I go home like everyone else and just sleep, relax and get ready for Monday. I loved every minute of it,” he recalled.
Damon revealed his daughter’s words of encouragement after watching The Odyssey made all the hardships of filming the epic worthwhile. Photo gallery (Instagram).
Her daughter’s missing confession
Although the production was difficult, meaningful recognition came from Damon’s own family. The actor has a daughter who maintains an irreverent sense of humor in his professional endeavors. “I have one daughter who has no respect for my movies and likes to give me s—–,” Damon said.”Damon laughed as he recounted the moment, explaining the importance of rare praise. “He never said anything like that, because we laughed a lot. At that time I was like, ‘I’m good. Everything was worth it,’ “he concluded, meaning that the true appreciation of his daughter justified every sacrifice and difficulty he faced during the production.‘The Odyssey’ opens in theaters on July 17.
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