Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has assembled one of the most stacked casts in recent Hollywood history. The film adapts Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem and opens in theaters on July 17, 2026.
Here is the complete cast list, including every confirmed role and every announced cast member whose role has not yet been revealed.
For a deeper look at the casting controversy surrounding the film, see our full heritage breakdown of the principal cast and our coverage of the Greek community’s open letter to Hollywood.
For the full rundown of everything announced so far, see our complete Odyssey movie guide.
Matt Damon as Odysseus
Damon plays the lead role of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca and hero of the Trojan War. The story follows his decade-long journey home after the fall of Troy. This is Damon’s third collaboration with Christopher Nolan, following Interstellar and Oppenheimer, and his first leading role for the director.
Tom Holland as Telemachus
Holland plays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope. Telemachus has grown up without his father and must protect his mother from the suitors who have overrun their palace. Holland is best known for playing Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Anne Hathaway as Penelope
Hathaway plays Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, who has waited twenty years for her husband’s return while fending off dozens of suitors competing for her hand. This is Hathaway’s third Nolan film, after The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar.
Robert Pattinson as Antinous
Pattinson plays Antinous, the most arrogant and aggressive of Penelope’s suitors. Antinous wants to seize Odysseus’s throne and is the primary antagonist among the suitors. Pattinson previously worked with Nolan on Tenet.
Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra
Nyong’o plays a dual role: Helen of Troy, the woman whose abduction by Paris sparked the Trojan War, and her sister Clytemnestra, the wife of Agamemnon. The casting has been the subject of significant public debate.
Zendaya as Athena
Zendaya plays Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare. Athena is Odysseus’s divine protector and guides him throughout his journey home. Zendaya is best known for her roles in Euphoria and the Dune franchise. She and Tom Holland are engaged in real life.
Charlize Theron as Calypso
Theron plays Calypso, the nymph who keeps Odysseus captive on the island of Ogygia for seven years, offering him immortality if he stays. Some early casting reports listed Theron as Circe, but more recent Universal materials confirm her role as Calypso.
Jon Bernthal as Menelaus
Bernthal plays Menelaus, the king of Sparta and husband of Helen. It was Helen’s departure from Menelaus that triggered the Trojan War. Bernthal is best known for playing the Punisher in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Netflix series.
Benny Safdie as Agamemnon
Safdie plays Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae, brother of Menelaus, and supreme commander of the Greek forces at Troy. Agamemnon is married to Clytemnestra, also played by Lupita Nyong’o. Safdie is known as a filmmaker (Uncut Gems, Good Time) and recently appeared in Oppenheimer as Edward Teller.
John Leguizamo as Eumaeus
Leguizamo plays Eumaeus, Odysseus’s loyal swineherd who is one of the few servants who remains faithful during his master’s absence. Eumaeus helps Odysseus reclaim his household upon his return to Ithaca.
Elliot Page
Page’s role has not been officially confirmed by Universal, though early reporting suggested he could play Achilles. Page previously worked with Nolan on Inception and is known for Juno and The Umbrella Academy.
Himesh Patel as Eurylochus
Patel plays Eurylochus, Odysseus’s second-in-command on the voyage home. Eurylochus is a cautious figure who frequently clashes with Odysseus over decisions during the journey. Patel broke out in Danny Boyle’s Yesterday.
Travis Scott as the Bard
Christopher Nolan has confirmed that rapper and producer Travis Scott plays a bard in the film. Nolan explained the casting by connecting rap to the oral storytelling tradition that Homer’s epic represents.
Bill Irwin as Polyphemus
Irwin plays Polyphemus, the Cyclops and son of Poseidon. In one of the most famous episodes of the epic, Odysseus blinds Polyphemus to escape his cave, earning the wrath of the sea god. Irwin is a Tony-winning stage actor also known for roles in Interstellar and Legion.
Mia Goth as Melantho
Goth plays Melantho, a maidservant in Odysseus’s palace who is disloyal to Penelope and sides with the suitors. Goth is known for the X horror franchise, Suspiria, and A Cure for Wellness.
Samantha Morton as Circe
Morton plays Circe, the powerful enchantress who lives on the island of Aeaea and turns Odysseus’s men into swine. Morton is an Oscar-nominated actress known for In America, Minority Report, and The Walking Dead.
Andrew Howard as Polites
Howard plays Polites, one of Odysseus’s most loyal and trusted companions on the voyage home from Troy. Howard is a Welsh actor known for Limitless, Hatfields & McCoys, and Watchmen.
Jimmy Gonzales as Cepheus
Gonzales plays Cepheus, a character in Homer’s epic. Gonzales is known for Only the Brave and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
Logan Marshall-Green
Marshall-Green’s role has not been confirmed. He replaced Cosmo Jarvis, who dropped out of the production. Marshall-Green is known for Prometheus, Upgrade, and Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Additional Confirmed Cast
The following actors have been announced as part of the cast but their roles have not been publicly revealed:
Josh Stewart — This is Stewart’s fourth film with Nolan, having previously appeared in The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar, and Tenet.
Ryan Hurst — Known for Opie in Sons of Anarchy and Beta in The Walking Dead.
James Remar — Known for Dexter, The Warriors, and It: Welcome to Derry.
Jovan Adepo — Known for Overlord and Watchmen.
Will Yun Lee — Known for Altered Carbon and The Good Doctor.
Corey Hawkins — Known for Straight Outta Compton and The Walking Dead. Some outlets have speculated he may play Hermes, the messenger god.
Nick E. Tarabay — Lebanese-American actor best known for Ashur in the Spartacus series.
Michael Vlamis — Known for Roswell, New Mexico. Vlamis is of Greek, Serbian, and Lebanese ancestry.
Jesse Garcia — Known for Narcos: Mexico.
Rafi Gavron — Known for A Star Is Born and Knock at the Cabin.
Shiloh Fernandez — Known for Evil Dead (2013).
Maurice Compte — Known for Narcos and End of Watch.
Iddo Goldberg — Known for Snowpiercer and Salem.
Anthony Molinari — Stunt performer and actor who has worked with Nolan on multiple films.
The Odyssey Cast Summary
| Actor | Role | Known For |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Damon | Odysseus | Interstellar, Oppenheimer |
| Tom Holland | Telemachus | Spider-Man franchise |
| Anne Hathaway | Penelope | The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar |
| Robert Pattinson | Antinous | Tenet, The Batman |
| Lupita Nyong’o | Helen of Troy / Clytemnestra | Black Panther, 12 Years a Slave |
| Zendaya | Athena | Dune, Euphoria |
| Charlize Theron | Calypso | Mad Max: Fury Road, Monster |
| Jon Bernthal | Menelaus | The Punisher, The Walking Dead |
| Benny Safdie | Agamemnon | Oppenheimer, Uncut Gems |
| Samantha Morton | Circe | The Walking Dead, Minority Report |
| John Leguizamo | Eumaeus | Moulin Rouge!, Encanto |
| Mia Goth | Melantho | X, Pearl, MaXXXine |
| Himesh Patel | Eurylochus | Yesterday, Tenet |
| Travis Scott | the Bard | Rapper / Producer |
| Bill Irwin | Polyphemus | Interstellar, Legion |
| Andrew Howard | Polites | Limitless, Hatfields & McCoys |
| Jimmy Gonzales | Cepheus | Only the Brave |
| Logan Marshall-Green | TBA | Prometheus, Upgrade |
| Elliot Page | TBA | Inception, The Umbrella Academy |
| Josh Stewart | TBA | The Dark Knight Rises, Tenet |
| Ryan Hurst | TBA | Sons of Anarchy |
| James Remar | TBA | Dexter |
| Jovan Adepo | TBA | Overlord, Watchmen |
| Will Yun Lee | TBA | Altered Carbon |
| Corey Hawkins | TBA | Straight Outta Compton |
| Nick E. Tarabay | TBA | Spartacus |
| Michael Vlamis | TBA | Roswell, New Mexico |
| Jesse Garcia | TBA | Narcos: Mexico |
| Rafi Gavron | TBA | A Star Is Born |
| Shiloh Fernandez | TBA | Evil Dead (2013) |
| Maurice Compte | TBA | Narcos |
| Iddo Goldberg | TBA | Snowpiercer |
| Anthony Molinari | TBA | Stunt performer |
About The Odyssey
The Odyssey is written and directed by Christopher Nolan and is based on Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem. Nolan has described it as a “mythic action epic.”
The film was shot across locations in Morocco, Italy, Greece, Iceland, and the United Kingdom using brand new IMAX film technology. It is produced by Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan for their company Syncopy, with Thomas Hayslip as executive producer. The score is composed by Ludwig Göransson, with cinematography by Hoyte Van Hoytema and editing by Jennifer Lame.
The Odyssey opens in theaters and IMAX everywhere on July 17, 2026, from Universal Pictures.
FAQ
Who plays Odysseus in The Odyssey?
Matt Damon plays Odysseus, the king of Ithaca.
Who plays Helen of Troy in The Odyssey?
Lupita Nyong’o plays both Helen of Troy and her sister Clytemnestra.
Who plays Athena in The Odyssey?
Zendaya plays the goddess Athena.
Who plays Penelope in The Odyssey?
Anne Hathaway plays Penelope, Odysseus’s wife.
Who plays Telemachus in The Odyssey?
Tom Holland plays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope.
Are Tom Holland and Zendaya in The Odyssey together?
Yes. Holland plays Telemachus and Zendaya plays Athena. The two are said to be married in real life.
How many actors are in The Odyssey?
The confirmed cast includes over 30 actors, with at least 17 in named roles and more than a dozen in roles that have not yet been publicly revealed.
When does The Odyssey come out?
July 17, 2026, in theaters and IMAX, from Universal Pictures.
Who directed The Odyssey?
Christopher Nolan wrote and directed the film.
