Matt Damon as Odysseus
There’s no Odyssey without the man himself, and Nolan has cast frequent collaborator Matt Damon as the weary king of Ithaca. After key roles in Interstellar and Oppenheimer, Damon steps into the lead as the wily, resourceful hero trying to make his way
home after a decade of war. Odysseus is known more for his cunning intellect—devising the Trojan Horse is his claim to fame—than for brute strength. Damon brings the everyman gravitas and sheer star power needed for a character who must outsmart gods and monsters to reunite with his family.
Anne Hathaway as Penelope
Playing Odysseus's famously loyal wife, Penelope, is another Nolan veteran, Anne Hathaway. While Odysseus is on his 20-year journey, Queen Penelope must use her own wit to hold their kingdom together and fend off a horde of aggressive suitors vying for her hand and the throne. Hathaway, who previously worked with Nolan on The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar, has the range to portray Penelope's sharp intelligence, resilience, and deep longing. She is the anchor of the story back in Ithaca, proving that the battles at home can be just as perilous as those at sea.
Tom Holland as Telemachus
Tom Holland steps into the pivotal role of Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope. Having grown from an infant to a man in his father's absence, Telemachus finds himself struggling to assert his authority against the suitors threatening his mother and his birthright. Encouraged by the goddess Athena, he embarks on his own journey to find news of his father. For Holland, best known as Spider-Man, this role in a Nolan epic is a chance to showcase his dramatic chops as a young prince coming into his own.
Robert Pattinson as Antinous
Fresh off his turn in Nolan's Tenet, Robert Pattinson takes on a villainous role as Antinous, the most arrogant and dangerous of Penelope's suitors. Antinous is the primary mortal antagonist, a conniving and entitled man who plots to assassinate Telemachus to clear his path to the throne. It’s a deliciously nasty part for Pattinson, who often plays troubled heroes, and allows him to lean into a more sinister performance as the man Odysseus will make an example of upon his return.
Zendaya as Athena
As the goddess of wisdom and war, Zendaya will play Athena, Odysseus's divine protector. Throughout the epic, Athena frequently intervenes to guide and assist both Odysseus and Telemachus, often in disguise. This role is crucial, as she is the main godly force advocating for our hero's safe return. For Zendaya, it’s another major blockbuster role in a packed year, and her portrayal of the wise, powerful goddess will be a key element of the film's mythological spectacle.
The Gods, Witches, and Royals
The supporting cast is just as stacked. Charlize Theron plays Calypso, the beautiful nymph who holds Odysseus captive on her island for seven years. Samantha Morton plays the powerful sorceress Circe, known for turning Odysseus's men into swine. On the mortal front, the leadership of the Trojan War is filled out by Benny Safdie as Agamemnon and Jon Bernthal as his brother Menelaus. In a fascinating turn, Lupita Nyong'o plays a dual role as two famous sisters: Helen of Troy, whose face launched the war, and Clytemnestra, Agamemnon's vengeful wife. Even Elliot Page has a confirmed role, not as the rumored Achilles, but as Sinon, a soldier involved in the Trojan Horse gambit.
