Much has been discussed about the making of Christopher Nolan’s Greek epic The Odyssey, and Matt Damon just offered more new insights.
As the film’s production spanned six countries, the actor remarked on the topsy-turvy journey, saying, “It really felt more like an expedition than a movie.”
Crediting Nolan for shouldering the harsh conditions the cast faced, Damon remarked, “And if you were cold and wet, you just turned and you looked and Chris was just as cold and just as wet and going through it.”
Though moving back to Universal Studios in Los Angeles from the gruelling outdoor shooting would give the cast a respite.
Only it did not happen.
Damon, in an interview with People, explained, “Every location was really difficult, but in a really different way.”
Pointing to a shooting scene in the water tank, he said, “We knew we were ending at the water tank in Universal. And nobody said, ‘Well, it’ll probably be easier once we get to it.’”
However, the hopes for a brief relief in the water tank was shattered when powerful jet engines produced waves that whipped them across the tank.
“And sure enough, there were these two jet engines, like 737 engines, blowing water on us. It was definitely about as hard as you can make water work in a controlled environment.”
But as production reached its end, Damon shared that the scenes turned intense, but the cast ultimately found some comical moments.
“We were laughing at the end because we were shooting some close up raft stuff that was too dangerous to do on the open water.”
“So we’d shot some wides, but we did some stuff on the tank that involved Chris pouring water over my face while I was lying there and I was like, “This is perfect. We’re ending this with water boarding,” the actor said with a laugh.
The Odyssey will arrive in cinemas on July 17.
