What does it take to get into character for a role? Different actors take different approaches. Some employ a constant method of acting. Others just show up, read the lines, and get on with it. According to Robert Pattinson, his co-star in The Odyssey, Matt Damon, regularly screamed himself hoarse to portray an older, grizzled Odysseus.
“If the trailer is a-rockin’, don’t come a-knockin” a colloquialism that apparently carried some weight on the set of Christopher Nolan‘s latest epic, The Odyssey. Oscar nominee Matt Damon takes up the sword as Odysseus, the titular character in the poet Homer‘s Ancient Greek epic.
Nolan’s script sees Odysseus, King of Ithaca, battle-weary and sailing home at the close of the Trojan War. Unbeknownst to Odysseus and his crew, a bit of PTSD was the least of their worries. A journey that should have taken but a few months famously stretches into a 10-year fight for survival. A fight that continually pits the king and crew against trial and tribulation. All the while drawing the ire of both gods and mythical creatures alike.
Madness
With such hefty sandals to fill, it’s no wonder Damon pulled some heavy-duty preparation. Co-Star Robert Pattinson portrays Antinous, an Ithaca noble set on stealing Odysseus’s wife and throne. He expressed concern when he and actor Tom Holland (who plays Telemachus, son of Odysseus) overheard intense shouting in Damon’s film trailer. Pattinson claimed they overheard Damon “making noises.” They assumed he was arguing on the phone, being a “complete psycho.” Matt was “screaming and screaming and screaming. I chalked it up to a horrific toilet experience.”
It turns out Damon was “blowing his voice out” in preparation to portray an older, hardened Odysseus. In hindsight, Holland found the Oscar nominee’s prep work and commitment to the role “amazing.” It turns out antics such as this are commonplace for Damon, who regularly takes drastic action to bring his roles to life. In 2009, when filming The Informant, he gained 30 pounds for the role.
Method
For The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s vision of Odysseus was rooted in a lean, corded, muscular physique. Damon, who by admission weighs around anywhere from 185 to 200 lbs, dropped down to 167 lbs throughout filming. He held himself to a very strict diet on top of an intense physical training regimen.
The human brain is fundamentally unique on an individual basis. Just as one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, each human has their own unique way of accomplishing simple and complex tasks. Actors in particular can dive deep in preparation for a role or even approach roles as a mask to be worn and packed up as needed. Regardless of the approach, everyone has a method to their madness.
Check Out The Trailer
Christopher Nolan and Universal Pictures’ The Odyssey releases July 17.
