Matt Damon has stated that he will no longer put his body through "dangerous" transformations for movie roles, particularly after reaching the age of 50. The Academy Award-winning actor, who recently portrayed Odysseus in Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey," described the significant physical changes he underwent for the part, including a substantial weight loss achieved through dietary adjustments.
Damon revealed that for "The Odyssey," the focus was on getting physically fit rather than undergoing potentially harmful weight gain. "You just have to be very intentional about what you put in your body," he told People magazine. He explained that director Christopher Nolan had a specific vision for Odysseus, wanting him to be "lean but strong."
To achieve this, Damon significantly altered his diet, a move he said was partly inspired by discussions with his doctor. "I literally, just because of this other thing I did with my doctor, stopped eating gluten," Damon said. He previously maintained a weight between 185 and 200 pounds but completed the film at 167 pounds, a weight he hadn't reached since high school. This involved extensive training and a highly restrictive diet.
Filming "The Odyssey" was also described as one of the most physically demanding experiences of his career. Damon recalled Nolan warning him about the film's difficulty, stating, "No. This movie's gonna be really hard." The production involved filming in challenging locations, including remote beaches and mountainous terrain, often in unpredictable conditions.
"It was definitely the hardest movie I've ever done just because it was so ambitious, just because what he was trying to do," Damon shared. "The prep and all that I had to do as a guy in his 50s, that was its own challenge." He added that the experience felt more like an expedition than a typical film shoot, with the entire cast and crew being pushed to their limits. Despite the hardships, Damon noted the shared experience among the cast created a strong sense of camaraderie.