Matt Damon Reveals What Really Happened Behind the Scenes of ‘The Odyssey’ Set

Matt Damon says working on Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey was unlike any other movie experience he has had. Despite being one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Damon says he did not receive any special treatment on set and went through the same difficult conditions as the rest of the cast and crew.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Damon explained that the entire production felt like a team effort because everyone faced the same challenges. The actor, who plays Odysseus in the film, said the experience was more like a real journey than a normal movie shoot.

“There was no special treatment,” Damon told PEOPLE. “If you’re out on a boat in the middle of the ocean and you get caught in a storm, you get wet with everybody else.”

Damon also said that even director Christopher Nolan experienced the same harsh conditions while filming. According to the actor, nobody was treated differently, regardless of their position on the project.

“Nobody’s getting a hot beverage that you’re not getting. You know what I mean? Everybody’s on equal footing, including Chris, who was just as cold and wet as everybody else throughout the whole thing,” Damon explained.

For Damon, this shared experience helped create a stronger bond between everyone involved. The actor said the difficult production brought the cast and crew closer because they were all pushing through the same challenges together.

“I do feel really bonded with everybody who was on that movie, cast and crew, because it was so challenging for everyone,” Damon said.

The Odyssey is based on Homer’s famous ancient Greek poem and follows the long journey of Odysseus as he tries to return home after the Trojan War. The story covers his struggles across a 10-year journey filled with battles, mythical creatures, and impossible obstacles.

Directed by Christopher Nolan, the movie features a huge cast that includes Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, and John Leguizamo alongside Damon.

Damon said filming the project required everyone involved to give their maximum effort every day. He described the process as something closer to an expedition than a traditional movie production.

“Every single day of filming that movie stands out because it felt more like an expedition than a film,” Damon said.

The actor explained that creating the movie required complete dedication from everyone working behind the scenes. According to him, the scale and difficulty of the production meant the film could only succeed if the entire team worked together.

“It really required every single person on that cast and crew to just completely max out day after day after day,” Damon added.

The experience left Damon feeling grateful for being part of such a large and demanding project. He believes audiences will notice the effort that went into making the film when it finally arrives in theaters.

“I came away from that experience just feeling really lucky and grateful that I got to be a part of a team like that,” Damon said.

The actor also praised the dedication of everyone involved, saying the movie would not have been possible without the commitment of the entire production.

The Odyssey is set to hit theaters on July 17, bringing Nolan’s version of the classic Greek story to the big screen. Based on Damon’s comments, the movie was not only a major cinematic challenge but also a memorable experience for everyone who worked on it.

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