Matt Damon says he dramatically reshaped his body to play Odysseus in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey, revealing he dropped nearly 40 pounds for what the director wanted on screen: “lean, but strong.”
The actor discussed the transformation on the New Heights podcast hosted by Jason and Travis Kelce, where talk of viral set photos turned into a candid breakdown of how he prepared for the part.
What Damon said about the transformation
Damon told the Kelce brothers he “lost a lot of weight” while filming and said the drop took him to 167 pounds, which he described as his high school weight.
He credited Nolan’s vision for the shift, saying the director’s request for a specific physique shaped the entire approach.
How he says he did it
In the interview, Damon pointed to a strict routine that combined heavy training with a significant diet change, including going gluten-free.
He described the process as closer to an athlete’s season prep than a casual fitness push, with disciplined day-to-day work designed to keep him strong while getting lighter.
Why this role demanded it
The film is Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic, with Damon playing Odysseus, the Greek king trying to make it home after the Trojan War.
In Damon’s telling, the physical transformation was part of making Nolan’s version of the character feel believable and grounded, rather than just heroic on paper.
What we know about Nolan’s The Odyssey
The Odyssey is scheduled for theatrical release on July 17, 2026, with IMAX listing the same date.
Industry coverage has also highlighted Nolan’s plan to shoot the film entirely with IMAX film cameras, continuing his long-running focus on large-format spectacle.
