Matt Damon reveals Christopher Nolan doesn’t have a phone: ‘You get a call from a nondescript number’ |

Christopher NolanThe filmmaker has been praised for his emotional films and high dramas, he dominates the box office and international markets – but without a phone. The 52-year-old has distanced himself from the lure of cell phones and works remarkably well without them. ‘The Odyssey’ lead Matt Damon confirmed the rumors and opened up about the way the director uses to communicate with people when needed. Here’s a closer look at Matt Damon explaining the process of connecting with Christopher Nolan.Previously, the Academy Award-winning director revealed in a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he does not communicate via text or email. Three years later, Matt Damon confirms Nolan’s unconventional method of contacting the actor if needed. Recalling how he learned that Nolan wanted to cast him as Odysseus, the 55-year-old actor said that the director’s wife, Emma Thomas, texted him to ask if he was free to call, on PEOPLE. The British filmmaker gives a “head-up” if Nolan calls anyone. “Then you get a call from an unknown number, because they’re just picking up the line at Universal Studios,” the actor said in an interview. Also, even Nolan doesn’t know the number to call from.

Matt Damon reveals casting from Christopher Nolan

Matt Damon and Christopher Nolan spoke about ‘The Odyssey’ months after the actor won two Academy Awards for ‘Oppenheimer.’ “He called, and we talked for 10 or 15 minutes,” the actor said, before adding, “It was just six months after ‘Oppenheimer’ went through the Oscars and all that.” The ‘Good Will Hunting’ actor thought Nolan would take a year to think about being behind the camera. He recalled, “So I thought we were just catching up, and we were, and then he yelled, ‘Yeah, I’m thinking about going back to work. And I went, ‘Wait, already?’ Nolan did not write the characters of Odysseus and Penelope with Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway in mind. “What I’ve found over the years is if you have an actor in mind – and obviously it’s very attractive, especially when we’ve worked with famous people in the past, it tries to put it in the way you think about the script – but for me it always restricts what the characters can be.

About ‘The Odyssey’

Directed by Christopher Nolan, ‘The Odyssey’ revolves around the perilous journey of a Greek king who faces obstacles like sea monsters, curses, deception, and the consequences of group actions on his way back to his home in Ithaca from the Trojan War. Starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, and Zendaya, this exciting film hits theaters on July 17, 2026.