Travis Scott says he was "nervous" about acting in Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey'
Los Angeles, July 23
Rapper Travis Scott has opened up about his acting debut in Christopher Nolan's epic film 'The Odyssey', revealing that he was "nervous" after being unexpectedly approached by the Oscar-winning filmmaker for a role in the movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Speaking during a Tuesday night appearance on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon', Scott recalled receiving a phone call from Nolan, whose name appeared on his phone as "Chris".
"My phone went off and it just said, 'Chris.' And I'm thinking, 'OK, I don't know what this is about. Maybe he wants to go to a show?' So I pick up and he's like, 'Would you be interested in acting in a movie?' And I'm like, 'I mean, I guess, you know? What's the [role]?,'" according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Scott said Nolan told him the film would be "coming out soon" and that he wanted him to be part of it. Surprised by the offer, the rapper asked the filmmaker, "Whoa, hold on. Wait. You know I make music?" before Nolan explained his reasons for casting him.
"I really enjoy his time. I'm really inspired by him. He's a real mentor of mine outside of this," Scott said of Nolan, adding, "So I'm like, 'Yo, whatever you're down with, I'm down. However it goes, I'm with it.'"
In 'The Odyssey', Scott plays Demodocus, the bard who narrates Odysseus' journey in the opening scene and becomes the first voice and face audiences see in the film.
Despite accepting the role, Scott admitted that he was initially nervous about stepping into the world of acting.
" I was actually nervous as 'F,'" he said, recalling that he initially assumed his scenes would be with extras, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"I didn't know that it was going to be Anne Hathaway, Tom [Holland] and Robert Pattinson -- a bunch of amazing people. I don't know what the fuck I'm doing. But they were such an amazing cast," Scott said.
The rapper praised Nolan and his co-stars for making him feel comfortable during the filming process.
"Chris is an amazing director," Scott said, adding of the cast, "Everybody made me feel comfortable. I was just glad to be there and just watch him. And being in such a world of them. So I'm just glad to be here."
Scott and Nolan had previously collaborated on the soundtrack for Nolan's 2020 film 'Tenet', which starred Pattinson.
Nolan also recently explained to Time magazine why he chose Scott for the role, saying, "I wanted to nod towards the idea that this story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap."
Apart from acting in the film, Scott also recorded the original song "When I'm Home" for the closing credits of 'The Odyssey', alongside James Blake. The song was produced by the film's composer Ludwig Goransson, while Nolan is credited as a co-writer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
'The Odyssey' is now playing in theatres.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting choice by Nolan, but I'm a bit skeptical. We've seen musicians try acting before and it's often a mixed bag. Remember when some of our Indian playback singers tried acting? 🤔 Still, Travis has stage presence and Nolan's vision is unmatched. Let's see how it plays out.
The parallel Nolan draws between oral poetry and rap is genius! It's like how our ancient Indian epics were passed down through generations via oral traditions and storytelling. Travis Scott essentially becomes the modern-day Vyasa for this Greek epic. Deep stuff. 🎭
Nolan's choices are always unconventional. I'm not a huge Travis Scott fan, but if anyone can make this work, it's Christopher Nolan. The cast is stacked - Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson? This is going to be epic. Also, love that he's nervous - shows he's taking it seriously.
As someone who grew up reading The Odyssey in school, I'm honestly thrilled about this adaptation. Having a rapper narrate the opening feels so fresh and modern - it's like when we have folk singers retell our mythological tales. Plus, Travis's voice has that raw, commanding quality. Booking my tickets already! 🎟️
Respect to Travis for being honest about his nerves - it's refreshing to see a celebrity admit they're intimidated. But I wish Hollywood would take more risks with Indian actors too. Imagine A.R. Rahman composing for Nolan or Priyanka Chopra in a role like this. That would be truly global cinema. 🇮🇳
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