Matt Damon explains female stunt double casting in The Odyssey's giant battle scene
Matt Damon underwent a rigorous six-month transformation to portray the legendary Odysseus in Christopher Nolan's adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey, dropping from 200 pounds to 167 pounds for the demanding role. However, the 55-year-old actor recently disclosed that one pivotal scene showcasing his physique was actually performed by Canadian stunt performer Devyn Dalton.
In a recent interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with host Josh Horowitz, Damon explained the technical approach Nolan employed for scenes featuring the Laestrygonians, the cannibalistic giants from Homer's 8th century B.C. epic poem. In the original story, these creatures—descended from Laestrygon, a son of Poseidon—destroyed 11 of Odysseus's 12 ships by hurling massive boulders from clifftops during the hero's decade-long journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.
Creating giants through forced perspective
To achieve the dramatic size contrast between Odysseus and the towering Laestrygonians, Nolan utilized forced perspective techniques combined with stunt performers of varying heights. The production employed seven-foot-tall stuntmen to portray the giants, while simultaneously using performers under five feet tall to double for the regular-sized characters.
"My double was a woman, a female stunt performer who had the greatest arms I've ever seen," Damon said. "When she came into the catering tent, it was the first time I met her, I went up and I hugged her and I thanked her for all the work she'd put in."
Dalton, who has amassed over 80 film and television credits throughout her career, including major productions like Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Godzilla, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, and The Last of Us, confirmed her involvement in an Instagram post Monday. "Scottish Highlands. The Odyssey. What an adventure," she wrote. "No spoilers just yet, but I'm incredibly grateful to be a part of the Laestrygonian battle. Stunt doubling the incredible @matt_damon_official."
The veteran performer, recognized for her expertise in motion capture work alongside Andy Serkis and Terry Notary on Rise of the Planet of the Apes and for playing Cornelius in War for the Planet of the Apes, praised the production team. "An epic team effort. We worked hard, shared plenty of laughs, and created memories I'll never forget."
Extreme physical transformation
Damon emphasized that nearly all the muscular shots in the film were his own. "It was almost 100 percent my arms in the movie, but you gotta give it up where it's due," he acknowledged.
The actor recently detailed his preparation process in a People magazine cover story, describing it as a complete lifestyle overhaul. "It was more about just getting really, really physically fit, which just really involves changing your diet, just a whole lifestyle change," he explained. "You have to just be very, very intentional about everything you're putting in your body."
Working with his longtime fitness trainer Jason Walsh, owner of Rise Movement gym in West Hollywood, Damon eliminated gluten among other dietary changes. Walsh has an impressive roster of Hollywood transformations to his credit, having trained Bradley Cooper for American Sniper, Brie Larson for Captain Marvel, and Pedro Pascal for Fantastic Four.
"I didn't change it in an unhealthy way," Damon stressed. "I think if I had done the opposite and put weight on, that would have been dangerous and it's not something I'll do anymore. I was happy to do it earlier in my life."
Nolan's most ambitious production
The physical demands matched the scale of the production itself. Shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film cameras using brand-new technology—a first in cinema history—The Odyssey carried an estimated $250 million budget, making it the most expensive film of Nolan's career. The director used over two million feet of film during 91 days of principal photography, filming the cast on real waves in actual locations to authentically capture the brutal difficulty of ancient sea voyages.
Damon called the project "the most challenging movie I've ever been a part of." It marks his third collaboration with Nolan, following Interstellar in 2014 and last year's Oppenheimer, which earned Nolan Best Picture and Best Director honors at the Academy Awards.
The ensemble cast includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, Mia Goth, Elliot Page, Samantha Morton, James Remar, and Travis Scott. Theron recently praised Damon's physical transformation to Entertainment Tonight, admitting she found herself "staring at him weirdly" on set.
The scale of the production even affected Nolan's future plans. The director stated that it will be at least three years until he makes another film, telling interviewers that The Odyssey pushed the limits of his own stamina.
Box office triumph amid early controversy
Earlier this month, the film's official social media account faced backlash from some users who posted complaints and racist comments regarding the diverse casting choices, prompting moderators to restrict comments. However, the criticism did not impact the film's reception.
The Odyssey achieved a 94% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes with a 97% audience rating—a record-high audience score for a Nolan film. It dominated the North American box office in its opening weekend, earning $124.5 million domestically and $139 million internationally for a combined total of $263.5 million, easily surpassing its production budget.
