Matt Damon Reveals No Special Treatment on Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Set

"You get wet with everybody else": Matt Damon says he didn't get "special treatment" on The Odyssey set

Washington DC, June 27

While speaking to PEOPLE magazine in an exclusive interview, Damon said the challenging shoot brought the entire cast and crew together, with everyone facing the same difficult conditions while filming on location.

"There was no special treatment," Damon said. "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."

The Oscar-winning actor added that no one on set was given preferential treatment, including director Christopher Nolan.

"Nobody's getting a hot beverage that you're not getting. Everybody's on equal footing, including Chris, who was just as cold and wet as everybody else throughout the whole thing," Damon told PEOPLE.

According to the actor, the demanding conditions created a strong sense of camaraderie among everyone involved in the production.

"That made it feel like we were really all in it together, because we were," he said, adding that he now feels "really bonded" with both the cast and crew because of the shared experience.

Damon stars as Odysseus in Nolan's adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic. The film also features an ensemble cast including Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo, Lupita Nyong'o and Charlize Theron.

Reflecting on the scale of the production, Damon said every day on set felt less like filming a movie and more like taking part in an expedition.

"Every single day of filming that movie stands out because it felt more like an expedition than a film," he said, explaining that capturing the ambitious sequences required every member of the team to push themselves to their limits.

"It was so difficult to get the shots that we got, the way that we got them, that it really required every single person on that cast and crew to completely max out day after day after day," he added.

Damon said he left the project feeling grateful to have worked alongside such a committed team and expressed confidence that audiences would appreciate the effort that went into making the film.

"I came away from that experience just feeling really lucky and grateful that I got to be a part of a team like that. It never could have worked if everybody hadn't completely pushed themselves beyond what they thought they could do," he said.

"So I'm really excited for people to see it. It's worth their money for what it took for us to make it. You'll be getting your money's worth."

Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey is based on Homer's legendary poem that chronicles the decade-long journey of Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, as he attempts to return home after the Trojan War. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on July 17.

— ANI