Christopher NolanThe filmmaker is known for mind-bending films and epic dramas that dominate the box office and global markets, but without a mobile phone. The 52-year-old has distanced himself from the temptations of his mobile device and excels without it. “The Odyssey” starring Matt Damon confirmed the rumors and revealed the director’s process for reaching out to people if needed. Here’s Matt Damon breaking down the process of contacting Christopher Nolan.Previously, the Oscar-winning director revealed in a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he does not communicate via text messages or emails. Three years later, Matt Damon confirmed Nolan’s unconventional way of reaching out to actors when needed. The 55-year-old actor recalled how he first learned that Nolan was going to cast him as Odysseus, saying the director’s wife, Emma Thomas, texted him to ask if he was available to call, People reported. If Nolan were to call anyone, the British filmmaker would “pay attention.” “Then you get a call from an unknown number because he just answered the phone at Universal Studios,” the actor said in the interview. Moreover, even Nolan didn’t know which number he would call.
Matt Damon reveals Christopher Nolan’s phone call
Matt Damon and Christopher Nolan chat about “The Odyssey” just months after the filmmaker won two Oscars for “Oppenheimer.” “He called and we talked for 10 to 15 minutes,” the actor said, before adding, “It was only six months after Oppenheimer won the Oscar and all of this.” The Good Will Hunting actor speculates that Nolan will need at least a year to consider getting behind the camera. He further recalled, “So I just thought we were catching up, and we were. And then he blurted out, ‘Yeah, I’m thinking about going back to work.'” I said, “Wait, already?” ‘” Nolan didn’t have Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway in mind when he wrote the characters of Odysseus and Penelope. “What I’ve found over the years is that if you have an actor in mind — and obviously that’s very tempting, especially when we’ve worked with great people before, it’s easy to choose an actor when you’re thinking about the script — but for me, that always limits the scope of the role. Because then you’re writing things that you’ve seen actors do before,” he told the outlet.
About “The Odyssey”
Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey follows the perilous journey of a Greek king who faces obstacles such as sea monsters, curses, manipulation and the consequences of collective action as he returns home to Ithaca from the Trojan War. The epic adventure movie starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Rob Pattinson and Zendaya will be released on July 17, 2026.
