Zendaya Reveals the Unusual Way She Found Out Christopher Nolan Wanted Her for ‘The Odyssey’
Zendaya may be playing Athena, one of the most powerful figures in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, but finding out about the role was far from a typical Hollywood casting moment.
The actress revealed during an appearance on the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast that she did not actually know she was being considered for the part. Instead, she found out through her husband and co-star Tom Holland, who was already involved with the film.
At the time, Zendaya was simply excited for Holland after he joined Nolan’s massive adaptation of Homer’s classic story. Holland plays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, in the upcoming epic.
“I was already excited,” Zendaya said on the podcast, explaining that she was happy for Holland after he got the opportunity to work with Nolan. “I was already on Cloud Nine for him.” Then came the surprise.
According to Zendaya, Holland came home one day and asked her to read something. She assumed it was related to something they had already discussed, but Holland had another reason for asking.
“And then he came home and said, ‘I need you to read something.’ And I was like, ‘Is it that thing we were just reading the other night?’ And he was like, ‘But now read it thinking of this character [Athena].’ And I was like, ‘Shut up! You’re joking!’” she recalled.
@happysadconfused Tom Holland tipped off Zendaya she had a role in the Odyssey
♬ original sound – joshuahorowitz
The moment was especially meaningful because Zendaya has been a longtime fan of Nolan’s work. Holland later shared his side of the story during an interview with Access Hollywood, saying he understood how special the opportunity was for her.
“It was such a gift because I know how much she’s admired Chris. Interstellar is her favorite movie,” Holland said. “I could never express to Chris how grateful I am to be able to give her that information.”
Holland also explained that the situation happened after he met with Nolan about his own role in the film. During that meeting, the director asked him about the idea of Zendaya playing Athena. “At my meeting with Chris he asked me a question. He said, ‘Would you be offended if I asked Zendaya to play Athena?’ I was like, ‘Why would I be offended?’” Holland explained.
After Nolan gave him permission to share the news, Holland went home and delivered the surprise in a subtle way. He told Zendaya to read the script again, but this time to pay special attention to Athena’s character. Holland admitted that seeing her reaction was one of his favorite parts of the experience. “And the little corners of her mouth [makes a smile on his own face]. It was amazing,” he said.
Nolan’s The Odyssey brings together a huge cast, including Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, and Zendaya as Athena. The film follows Odysseus’ long journey home after the Trojan War and explores themes of family, loyalty, love, and survival.
For Zendaya, landing the role was not only a major career moment but also a personal one. Thanks to Holland’s unexpected reveal, she got to discover that she was joining one of the most ambitious films of Nolan’s career in a way she never saw coming.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
