Matt Damon reveals female stunt double used for The Odyssey scale scenes

Matt Damon reveals female stunt double used for The Odyssey scale scenes

Matt Damon is setting the record straight regarding the muscular physique he displays in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. While the actor has received significant praise for his biceps and ripped appearance, Damon revealed that he cannot take full credit for every shot of his limbs in the film.

Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with host Josh Horowitz, the 54-year-old actor disclosed that a female stunt performer served as his double for a specific sequence. The decision was driven by the technical requirements of forced perspective, a filmmaking technique used to manipulate the perceived size of objects or people on screen.

The production employed this method to depict the Laestrygonians, the formidable giant warriors encountered by Odysseus and his crew. According to Damon, the scale was achieved by using a combination of very different body types. The giants were portrayed by stuntmen who stood around seven feet tall. To make the protagonist and his crew appear small in comparison, Nolan's production hired stunt performers under five feet tall.

"And so my double was a woman, a female stunt performer, who had the greatest arms I’ve ever seen,"

Matt Damon, actor, via Happy Sad Confused

Damon noted that while the majority of the muscularity seen in the film was his own, he wanted to give credit to the performer who filled in during those specific shots. He recalled that he did not meet the woman until she entered the catering tent during filming, despite her having already stood in for him on screen. Upon meeting her, Damon hugged her and thanked her for her work.

The revelation adds context to the public curiosity surrounding Damon's transformation. Before the film's release, photographs of the actor looking lean and muscular while filming in Favignana, Italy, alongside Zendaya, led to widespread speculation about his workout regimen.

Released on July 17, 2026, The Odyssey is an action fantasy based on the ancient Greek poem by Homer. The story depicts King Odysseus' struggle to return to Ithaca after the Trojan War, featuring battles with mythical creatures and his quest to reunite with his son, Telemachus, and his wife, Penelope.

The film features a massive ensemble cast, including:

• Anne Hathaway as Penelope
• Tom Holland as Telemachus
• Zendaya
• Robert Pattinson
• Charlize Theron
• Lupita Nyong’o
• John Leguizamo
• Elliot Page
• Mia Goth
• Corey Hawkins
• Jon Bernthal
• Samantha Morton
• Travis Scott
• Benny Safdie

Utilizing new IMAX film technology, the movie achieved significant commercial success immediately upon release. In its debut weekend, the film earned $124 million in the United States and Canada, which stands as the third-best opening of the year. Globally, the film collected more than $264 million, a figure reported as the largest global opening of Christopher Nolan's career, surpassing previous hits such as Oppenheimer, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises.