Tom Holland says his role in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey marks the beginning of a new phase in his career as he leaves behind many of the youthful characters that made him one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
The British actor, who turns 30 this year, plays Telemachus, the son of the legendary Greek hero Odysseus. The character spends much of the story searching for the father he barely remembers while trying to protect his mother, Penelope, from men seeking to seize their kingdom.
Speaking about the role, Holland described it as a defining moment.
“The thing that I love the most is that it feels a little bit like the last chance for me to play a boy.”
The actor, best known for portraying Spider-Man, said joining a Christopher Nolan production felt surreal.
“It’s a real pinch-me moment.”
A special moment with Zendaya
Holland also revealed that he shared the film’s script with his wife, actress Zendaya, before learning Nolan wanted her to play the goddess Athena.
According to Holland, the director later asked whether he would be comfortable with the casting before approaching her.
“I went home and I was able to break the news to her. It was a very special moment.”
Recalling her reaction, he said:
“The little corners of her mouth went up. She had this little smile and then we both started jumping around the kitchen.”
Although both appear in the film, Holland and Zendaya do not share any scenes together.
Matt Damon accepted immediately
Matt Damon, who stars as Odysseus, said he accepted Nolan’s offer before even hearing the full details of the project.
He recalled the conversation with the director.
“He said, ‘I’d like to offer you the lead role.’ So I just said ‘Yes.’”
When Nolan asked whether he wanted to hear the pitch first, Damon agreed.
“He said, ‘It’s a two-word pitch. The Odyssey.’”
The veteran actor plays the legendary Greek king, whose journey home lasts another decade after the end of the Trojan War.
Anne Hathaway reflects on motherhood
Anne Hathaway, who portrays Penelope, said playing a mother in ancient Greece made her appreciate modern parenting.
She explained that raising children in that era required a very different approach.
“There’s no such thing as gentle parenting in ancient Greece. The stakes were really, really high.”
Hathaway added that Penelope sometimes had to frighten Telemachus to keep him safe.
“It just made me grateful that I feel like I have more avenues available to me now.”
She also noted that her own children are still young, making the role of a mother to a teenage son an interesting challenge.
Holland on masculinity and learning new skills
Beyond sword fighting, which he said he thoroughly enjoyed learning for the film, Holland believes The Odyssey also offers a broader message.
“Maybe what you can learn from this movie about masculinity is that it comes in all shapes and sizes and there is no version of it that’s perfect.”
He joked that while he does not keep a sword at home, he could always rely on a cricket bat if needed.
“I have a cricket bat actually, and I can wield that in a sword-like fashion.”
Working with Christopher Nolan
Despite his success in Hollywood, Holland admitted he felt intimidated working with Nolan for the first time.
He said collaborating with the Oscar-winning filmmaker had long been one of his biggest career ambitions.
“Before you’ve worked with him and before you’ve got that call, you think about it a lot and you yearn for that opportunity.”
Once he landed the role, however, he focused on proving himself.
“I’ve got what I wanted and now it’s time to show him what I can do.”
Nolan praised Holland in return, describing him as “one of the great actors of his generation.”
Nolan wanted to create something fresh
Fresh off the Oscar-winning success of Oppenheimer, Nolan admitted beginning another major project came with its own pressure.
He even removed his Oscar statuettes from his writing office to avoid feeling intimidated while developing the screenplay.
The filmmaker said audiences continue to crave originality.
“When Hollywood makes a mistake, it’s always the same mistake, which is to forget how much people want something new, how much they want something they haven’t seen before.”
The director shot The Odyssey entirely on IMAX film, using practical locations, real ships and large-scale sets to bring Homer’s ancient epic to life.
A new take on a timeless story
While remaining faithful to Homer’s classic tale, Nolan introduces fresh interpretations, including a striking redesign of the famous Trojan Horse.
Matt Damon believes viewers should decide for themselves what lessons the film offers.
“It’s more that something like this should be a conversation. That’s what a piece of art is there for. It’s not for us to say, here’s the message. It’s not a lecture. It’s something to be discussed.”
The Odyssey opens in cinemas on Friday, July 17.
