"My mouth would not move": Zendaya recalls 'freezing' on first day of 'The Odyssey' shoot
Washington DC, July 7
Actor Zendaya has recalled an "embarrassing" moment from her first day filming 'The Odyssey', revealing that freezing temperatures in Iceland left her unable to deliver her lines while portraying the Greek goddess Athena, according to People.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, Zendaya admitted that she had also put immense pressure on herself before stepping onto the set of director Christopher Nolan's upcoming epic.
"Here's the thing. I had my lines and I wanted to have them so down," she said. "I think I kind of psyched myself out a little bit."
The actor said the nerves, coupled with Iceland's harsh weather, made the first day particularly challenging.
"It was particularly cold. It was in Iceland," she added. "My mouth was just frozen. There is nothing coming out. My mouth would not move. Literally. It came out like, 'Blah blah blah.' So embarrassing."
Despite the awkward start, Zendaya described working alongside the film's star-studded ensemble as a rewarding experience. The cast includes Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o and her husband, Tom Holland.
"It's such a pleasure and a gift to be able to share scenes with people you admire," Zendaya said. "Part of you has to compartmentalize to a degree. Lock in, we're working. But I was so moved and so just excited to be there and wanted to do my best work," according to People.
Her performance also earned high praise from Nolan, who described her work as flawless during a recent interview with Fandango.
"She was always perfect. Always perfect," the Oscar-winning filmmaker said, according to People.
Nolan's glowing endorsement became a talking point among the cast, with Holland joking, "Still waiting for mine."
Damon also chimed in, saying Nolan's praise for Zendaya "was a topic of discussion," according to People.
Responding to the playful complaints, Nolan quipped, "I felt guilty when I first heard they were complaining about it, but then I realized that's kind of on them and not me."
Holland also admitted that his own first day on the film was intimidating because of the project's scale.
"I think my first day, for me, was probably one of the most daunting experiences of my career, just being a part of a movie of this scale," he said, according to People.
Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey is slated to release in theatres on July 17.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, this whole cast bromance is adorable! Tom Holland joking about his own praise and Nolan's witty comeback - peak entertainment industry dynamics. But let's be real, with a $200M budget, Nolan can afford to be generous with compliments. 😂
As someone who struggles to even speak Hindi properly in cold mornings, I totally get what Zendaya went through 😂 Iceland isn't just cold, it's 'my-face-is-numb' cold! Respect to her for picking up despite the embarrassment.
Christopher Nolan's "always perfect" comment feels more like PR than reality. Everyone freezes in cold weather - she's human. But the man can direct, so I'll give him this one. Looking forward to seeing how The Odyssey turns out!
This is why I love hearing behind-the-scenes stories. Zendaya's humility is refreshing - she didn't pretend like it was easy. Reminds me of our own Indian actors who talk about struggling with cold in Ladakh or Kashmir shoots. Real artists share real struggles.
Meanwhile, our Indian actors manage to lip-sync perfectly in -5°C for item numbers 😂 But jokes aside, Nolan's 'The Odyssey' cast is stacked! Hope Zendaya delivers as Athena. Greek mythology + Nolan = could be cinema gold.
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