A guide to the characters of Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’

Christopher Nolan's upcoming film adaptation of Homer's epic poem, "The Odyssey," is designed to be accessible to a modern audience, even those unfamiliar with the ancient Greek text. Nolan stated that a primary goal was to make the story relatable, catering to a wide range of familiarity with the foundational work.

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It’s something that we all know a little bit about, some of us know a lot about it, some of us know nothing about it. We’re making the film for that whole range of people’s relationship with this foundational text of this incredible story.

Matt Damon, who stars as Odysseus, described the protagonist as "a very complicated protagonist" who is "certainly not perfect" and "living with the consequences of his actions." Damon noted that the film reveals the "how and why" of Odysseus's behavior, making him a human center for the grand narrative.

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He’s a very complicated protagonist, which I love, and Chris reveals how and why in his way, and a lot becomes clear by the end of the movie, which explains a lot of how he’s behaving at the beginning. I think for a story that’s this big, it’s wonderful to have a character that’s very human at the center. He’s certainly not perfect. And he’s living with the consequences of his actions. And that’s dictating his behavior.

Anne Hathaway takes on the role of Penelope, Odysseus's wife, who has been steadfastly waiting for his return for two decades. During his absence, over 100 suitors have occupied the palace, vying for her hand and the throne. Hathaway explored Penelope's enigmatic character, aiming to portray her as a person beyond the traditional image of modesty and patience.

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She’s probably the most well-known character that I’ve ever played. But we only know her as far as we can see. I didn’t want to negate anything that anyone had ever felt about Penelope, that she was, you know, the picture of modesty, she’s a paragon of patience, all of those things. But a paragon isn’t a person. And so I thought, OK, so let’s allow that that’s the way the world sees her. Who is she when no one’s looking?

Tom Holland plays Telemachus, Odysseus and Penelope's son, who has never known his father as an adult. As the threat from the suitors escalates, Telemachus embarks on his own journey to find information about his missing father. Nolan highlighted that the film features parallel narratives of homecoming and coming-of-age, blending action-adventure with emotional intimacy between characters. Holland emphasized a sense of connection between Odysseus and Telemachus throughout the film, despite their characters not meeting as father and son until later in the story.

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There are times where it feels like you’re on this kind of action-adventure roller coaster, but he doesn’t sacrifice any of the heart and the intimacy between our characters. Throughout the film, there’s this real sense of connection between the two of us.