‘The Odyssey’ Star Was Surprised by the Level of Secrecy Surrounding Christopher Nolan’s Action Epic

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As a huge Christopher Nolan fan, I’m incredibly excited about his upcoming film, The Odyssey, which is currently being finalized and still slated for a July 2026 release. It’s become typical for Nolan to keep things under wraps with his big projects, and this one is no different. Apparently, the secrecy started way back with the casting! Mia Goth recently shared that actors were asked to commit to the film before even seeing the script – they just wanted to know if we were interested in being involved, which is a pretty unique approach!

Anya Taylor-Joy recently discussed her upcoming roles on Josh Horowitz’s podcast, Happy Sad Confused. She’s coming off a successful project with Netflix, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, and is set to appear in the new Star Wars film, Starfighter. However, she’s most excited about The Odyssey, where she’ll play the character Melantho. Taylor-Joy talked about the audition process, explaining that while it was an honor, she agreed to the role without knowing much about Melantho herself.

I auditioned for the show The Odyssey. The audition pieces they gave me weren’t from the actual script, they were just for practice. Then I learned Chris wanted to talk to me, and I vividly remember driving to Universal Studios, incredibly nervous – I honestly felt like I might get sick! But I kept reminding myself how lucky I was to even be experiencing that level of excitement.

I went to the audition and got the part. It was a little unusual because I had to accept the job before I even got a chance to read the script and learn about the character. But I said yes, and then they sent me the script.

Shooting ‘The Odyssey’ Was “Completely Overwhelming and Totally Surreal”

As a huge movie fan, I was really fascinated by Anya Taylor-Joy’s recent comments about working with Christopher Nolan. She talked about how intense the audition process was, but also described what it was like actually filming. Apparently, doing Frankenstein beforehand was key for her – it really gave her the confidence she needed to tackle a Nolan film. And honestly, it confirmed everything I’ve always heard about his sets: super strict rules – no phones allowed, limited places to sit – but also a surprisingly strong sense of everyone working together as a team.

You know, working on ‘Frankenstein’ really boosted my confidence – I needed that so badly for years. Honestly, I don’t think I would have been ready to tackle a project with Christopher Nolan if I hadn’t first had the chance to collaborate with Guillermo del Toro. That experience was crucial for me.

Walking onto the set is incredibly overwhelming at first, almost like a dream. But after a few days, you start to feel like a team, all working together to create the film. Despite the massive scale of the production, it actually felt very personal. I think that’s a credit to how Christopher Nolan runs things – it’s a really unique approach. Nobody goes back to their trailers or leaves the set, and phones aren’t allowed. There aren’t even chairs on the set; you can sit outside the studio, but it’s frowned upon. It really fosters a sense of everyone being fully present and working together.

It’s really wonderful to work on a set like that. Because you stay in the scene the entire time, as an actor, it feels like you truly inhabit the space. It’s liberating – when the camera focuses on you, you don’t feel the need to force anything or add extra performance; it just feels natural.

Universal Pictures will release the movie The Odyssey in theaters on July 17, 2026.

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2025-12-02 14:50