Anne Hathaway’s ‘The Odyssey’ Role Is Getting Oscar Buzz, and Nolan Reportedly Told Her Why

Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ has been dissected for its casting choices, its runtime, and its IMAX ambitions since the moment it hit theaters, but one performance is starting to pull focus away from the spectacle entirely. Anne Hathaway’s take on Penelope, Odysseus’ long-waiting wife, has quietly become one of the most talked-about elements of the film as reviews and early awards chatter roll in.

Hathaway’s history with Nolan goes back over a decade, which makes this reunion feel especially loaded. She previously worked with the director on ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ in 2012 and ‘Interstellar’ in 2014, and has described this project as something of a homecoming after 12 years apart. In the film, Penelope spends years fending off more than 100 suitors who loiter in the palace hoping to marry her and claim the throne, all while she stays firm in her belief that Odysseus is still alive.

That resilience is exactly what’s fueling the awards conversation now. Hathaway has been earning rave reviews for what’s being described as a powerful and emotionally gripping performance as Penelope, with critics highlighting just how much depth she brings to a character often reduced to a background figure in past adaptations. The buzz has been building steadily since the film’s premiere, with industry accounts amplifying the praise as part of the broader awards season conversation.

Nolan himself apparently agrees with the hype, and according to Hathaway, he didn’t hold back. Tom Holland recalled that Hathaway may have gotten a rare word of praise from Nolan, telling TODAY that he believed she’d gotten a “perfect” from the director, which Hathaway confirmed, adding that she wrote about the moment in her journal. That praise reportedly sparked a friendly on set rivalry among the cast, since Nolan is known for being fairly reserved with that kind of feedback.

Hathaway’s connection to the material clearly runs deeper than just landing the role. Unlike some of her castmates who hadn’t read Homer’s poem before being cast, Hathaway was already a longtime fan, and she described yelping and shrieking when Nolan first told her the project was ‘The Odyssey’, calling her reaction anything but low-key. She’s also spoken about the intelligence and richness Nolan wrote into Penelope, noting that the character wears bright colors and does her hair every day specifically because she refuses to live as though she’s in mourning.

Whether that early buzz translates into actual nominations remains to be seen, but the response so far suggests Hathaway has turned what could have been a thankless waiting wife role into one of the film’s emotional anchors. For a performer already known for reinventing familiar characters, ‘The Odyssey’ looks like it might be adding another awards-worthy chapter to her résumé.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!