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Remember that book you were forced to read in high school that was too epic to handle? Well, you’re in luck! Christopher Nolan has assembled an all-star ensemble to take on Homer’s legendary story, The Odyssey. One of two epics attributed to the Ancient Greek poet, The Odyssey tells the story of the hero Odysseus on a grueling 10-year journey back to his home island of Ithaca after the Trojan War. Along his perilous adventure, he battles mythical monsters and angry gods, while his wife and son fight to protect his kingdom from greedy suitors. At its core, The Odyssey tackles the psychological toll of war, the resilience required to survive, and the lengths people will go to protect their family and home, making it perfect for a visionary director.
Considered one of the most significant and prolific stories in the Western canon, The Odyssey has been adapted for stage, screen, and television, but now the epic is in the hands of an epic director, this time with American accents. After the highly anticipated trailer dropped earlier this month, eager fans have been anxious to learn which Hollywood stars are confirmed and who exactly they’ll be playing. This list will focus only on actors who have been officially revealed as named characters. While there has been buzz about Elliot Page’s role in the film, no reports have been confirmed yet, so he won’t be included. Other big names in the all-star lineup yet to be revealed include Corey Hawkins, Jesse Garcia, James Remar, and former NHL star Sean Avery, among others. Everyone else will be discussed in epic proportions, in alphabetical order, of course.
Jon Bernthal as Menelaus
From The Punisher to The Bear, it’s now time for Jon Bernthal to play the king— the Greek King Menelaus of Sparta, that is. Added to the cast last year, Bernthal used his recent busy press schedule to discuss his role. The actor praised Nolan and noted the bonds he made during filming. “I told them, ‘Whatever you think in the day-to-day, just know you are going to look back on this, and it will be the defining moments of your life. These relationships, these friendships, what you guys have built together, not because you’re part of this unbelievable movie, not because it’s got to be the biggest movie in the world, but because of the blood, sweat, and tears that you guys laid out with each other, for each other, every single day,’” revealed to Esquire.
With a full beard, Bernthal’s rugged, grizzled look reflects his character’s grueling, seven-year journey home across the Mediterranean. In this story, Menelaus is the brother of Agamemnon and the husband of Helen, while also serving as a mentor of sorts, offering hospitality to Odysseus’s son, Telemachus. As the one who reveals his father’s whereabouts, Benthal plays a pivotal role in the story. The Odyssey marks the second movie Bernthal has filmed with Tom Holland, who plays Telemachus. The pair will also be seen together this summer in Spider-Man: Brand-New Day, where he reprises his role of Frank Castle.
Matt Damon as Odysseus
The coveted role of the titular character goes to a Hollywood legend, Matt Damon. In the past, films and series have featured predominantly British ensembles in the major roles — not here! Damon approached the part as if it were his last hurrah. “There aren’t a lot of people in their mid-50s as protagonists in these epics,” the actor told Time in a profile on the director and the film. “I looked at this like the last movie I’d ever do.” It’s a once-in-a-career role that unites the Oscar winner with his Oppenheimer director, this time front-and-center.
Odysseus is the legendary Greek King of Ithaca and the central protagonist of Homer’s epic poem. Renowned for his intellectual brilliance and guile, he undertakes a daring journey to return home after the Trojan War, testing his courage, endurance, and loyalty to his family. Odysseus’s Achilles heel, if you will, is his hubris. No stranger to large ensemble pieces as well as leading turns, The Odyssey will see the actor in a part like he’s never done before. Based on Nolan’s recent streak of award show success, The Odyssey could see Damon back on stage come Oscar night.
Jimmy Gonzales as Cepheus
Jimmy Gonzales is set to play Cepheus, one of Odysseus’s shipmates. He will join Will Yun Lee, who, at the time of publication, was simply known as another unnamed shipmate. In the scope of Homer’s story, Cepheus is a minor, ill-fated warrior who accompanies Odysseus on his journey home and is killed by the Cyclops Polyphemus. Beyond The Odyssey, Cepheus is better known as the mythical King of Ethiopia, husband to Queen Cassiopeia, and father of Andromeda.
Prior to his role in the Nolan epic, Gonzales was best known for his time on Mayans M.C., where he portrayed Ibarra. He’s also had recurring roles on AMC shows Lodge 49 and The Walking Dead. On film, Gonzales starred in Blue Miracle as Omar, the real-life manager of a struggling orphanage who enters a high-stakes fishing tournament to save his boys’ home.
Mia Goth as Melantho
From scream queen to palace maid, rising star Mia Goth will be taking on the role of Melantho in The Odyssey. Melantho is the sister of the disloyal goatherd, Melanthius. Despite being raised like a daughter by Queen Penelope, she abuses the palace’s hospitality, disrespects the queen, and has an affair with Eurymachus. Known for her antagonistic ways, Melantho ultimately meets a just demise.
Goth seems more than perfect for the part. Since her career-defining roles in Ty West’s Pearl trilogy, Goth has been a sought-after actress, cementing her worth in the horror space in last year’s Frankenstein by Guillermo del Toro. Swapping out horror for epic, Goth has spoken about her experience on the project, telling Fandango last fall that it was “amazing” and “one of the best experiences” she’s had. She also noted that she’ll be taking much of her experience with Nolan, notably how he runs things, into her future projects.
Anne Hathaway as Penelope
While we might need to suspend our belief that Anne Hathaway is playing Tom Holland’s mom, it’s just too epic not to happen. Hathaway takes on Penelope, the Queen of Ithaca, the devoted wife of the hero Odysseus, and the mother of Telemachus. Defined by her clever tactics and enduring devotion, Penelope is besieged by over a hundred aggressive suitors under the impression that her husband is dead. As the emotional anchor of the story, there’s no better actress to take on the part than Hathaway.
Reuniting with Nolan after The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar, Hathaway has experience working with the acclaimed director. Speaking to Variety, Logan Marshall-Green, who has an undisclosed role in the film, noted that the iconic actress “would be fully performing in character, and the camera wouldn’t even see her for three days in the one scene we’d be shooting.” It’s a very busy year for Hathaway, who’s already given audiences star turns in The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Mother Mary. After the trailer dropped, excitement for Hathaway, who was prominently featured, and hype for her stoic, shrewd Penelope rose.
Tom Holland as Telemachus
If Damon is the titular character, the next leading man would be Tom Holland as Telemachus. The son of Odysseus and Penelope, Telemachus undergoes a coming-of-age journey from a helpless youth to a courageous young man who steps up to protect his family and kingdom. While his father is lost, he seeks out the gods, including Athena, played by his real-life love, Zendaya, for guidance. His reunion with his father becomes the ultimate team-up that saves the day.
One of the very first actors to be seen in costume on set, Holland previously praised the project, noting it as “the best script I’ve ever read.” Taking on a very different type of hero in a very different style of suit, Holland continues his reign as a Hollywood leading man. Though he’s attempted another non-superhero leading role in Uncharted, it’s his career-making turn as Peter Parker that has made him a household name. Outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Odyssey will mark Holland’s most prestigious project thus far. A big box office and award show recognition would be the ultimate hero’s story for Holland.
Bill Irwin as Polyphemus
Bill Irwin is a legendary theater actor and clown. He’ll be reuniting with his Interstellar director as he is set to play the savage, man-eating cyclops, Polyphemus. In The Odyssey, Polyphemus is known for trapping Odysseus and his men. But it’s the hero who gets the last laugh as Odysseus blinds him and helps the crew escape by clinging to the bellies of the giant’s sheep, causing Polyphemus to hurl a curse on Odysseus and his journey home.
As a crucial part of the action, Irwin will use his theatricality to make Polyphemus a sensational and fascinating character. In their first team-up, Irwin voiced and served as the puppeteer of the sarcastic robot TARS in Interstellar. In this film, Nolan revealed to Time that Irwin will utilize those same skills to maneuver the giant practical puppet. Known for a vaudeville-style stage presence, Irwin is almost unrecognizable based on the character in the trailer.
John Leguizamo as Eumaeus
Another entry into the almost unrecognizable actors in the film is John Leguizamo as Eumaeus. The beloved actor takes on Odysseus’ loyal swineherd and childhood friend, who was royal at birth but was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery. The first host known for his unwavering loyalty, Eumaeus is one of the few individuals trusted with Odysseus’ true identity.
Last year, Leguizamo teased the project, noting it was a “dream team.” The actor raved about working with Nolan, saying it was “like what I imagine it must have been like to work with Stanley Kubrick.” Leguizamo went on to describe Nolan as “somebody creating worlds, and who thinks in a different way than the rest of us.” The actor, best known for his storied career, adds an epic to his already epic resume.
Samantha Morton as Circe
If there is one thing that Samantha Morton is good at, it’s playing scheming, complicated women. In the sci-fi thriller Minority Report, it was Agatha, a mentally unstable psychic. In The Walking Dead, it was Alpha, the deranged zombie-worshipping cult leader. Now, in The Odyssey, she takes on the powerful role of Circe. In Homer’s epic poem, Circe lives on the island of Aeaea and has a penchant for magically transforming men into animals. When Odysseus and his men wash up on her shores, she transforms the men into pigs to coerce Odysseus into being her suitor.
Nolan verified her role for Time, noting that Morton will bring a uniquely “unsettling yet sympathetic” humanized update to the iconic mythological character. In Nolan’s version, Circe will be elevated beyond her archetypal roots, and Morton’s innate ability to play off-kilter characters will serve her well.
Lupita Nyong’o as Helen and Clytemnestra
For quite some time, Lupita Nyong’o’s presence in The Odyssey had been kept under wraps. But now, following Nolan’s feature in Time, her identity has been revealed. And it’s not just one juicy role; Nyong’o will take on TWO! The Oscar winner will play both Helen of Troy and Helen’s sister, Clytemnestra. Known as the most beautiful woman ever, Helen takes in Telemachus during his search for answers about his father. Unlike the unwavering Penelope, Helen was swayed to leave her spouse. Meanwhile, Clytemnestra is the queen of Mycenae and the wife of Agamemnon. She, too, is a foil to Penelope, notorious for cheating on her husband with Aegisthus and murdering Agamemnon upon his return from the Trojan War.
The creative choice is meant to highlight the mirror of the tragedies both sisters experience. Following her turn in Us, dual roles should be a walk in the park for Nyong’o. Until recently, her appearance in the film promo had been limited, though she can be seen with Nolan in a 60 Minutes profile. Though there has been some unfortunate pushback on Nyong’o’s confirmed casting as Helen, it doesn’t take away from the brilliant actress that she is.
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Michael Block
Almontather Rassoul
