Matt Damon has addressed the use of a female stunt double for a scene in Christopher Nolan's adaptation of Homer's "The Odyssey," clarifying the creative decision behind a specific shot.
Damon, who underwent a significant physical transformation for his role as Odysseus, slimming down from 200 pounds to 167 pounds, revealed that stunt performer Devyn Dalton was used for a scene depicting giants. The film employs forced perspective to emphasize the size difference between Odysseus and the Laestrygonians, a tribe of man-eating giants.
"When we did the forced perspective stuff of the Laestrygonians, there were these kind of stuntmen who were all seven feet," Damon said in a recent interview on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast. "And then they got stuntmen who were under five feet, and so my double was a woman, a female stunt performer who had the greatest arms I've ever seen."
Damon praised Dalton, expressing gratitude for her work. "When she came into the catering tent, it was the first time I met her, I went up and I hugged her and I thanked her for all the work she'd put in," he recalled. "And so there are those shots in the movie where you see these giants looming over me and (that's her). So it was almost 100 percent my arms in the movie, but you gotta give it up where it's due."
Dalton confirmed her involvement in the film via an Instagram post, describing the experience as an "adventure" and expressing gratitude for being part of the "Laestrygonian battle" while stunt doubling for Damon. She noted the collaborative effort and the opportunity to travel and meet new people.
Fans may recognize Dalton from other projects, including the horror movie "Weapons" and the television show "The Last of Us."
Regarding his physical transformation, Damon previously shared that it involved a comprehensive lifestyle change, focusing on diet and fitness, with the guidance of trainer Jason Walsh. He stated that the changes were made in a healthy manner and that he would not gain weight in an unhealthy way as he had done earlier in his career.
"The Odyssey" marks Damon's third collaboration with director Christopher Nolan, following "Oppenheimer" and "Interstellar."
The film recently experienced significant box office success, opening at the top of the North American box office and grossing $124.5 million in its opening weekend, with a global total of $263.5 million against a $250 million budget. However, the film's official X account faced restrictions on comments due to online backlash, including complaints and racist remarks directed at its diverse cast members, prior to its release.