Tom Holland reveals why he thought Christopher Nolan disliked his 'Odyssey' performance
Tom Holland’s first day on Christopher Nolan’s 'The Odyssey' did not go the way he expected, at least in his own head. The actor, who plays Telemachus in the film, recalled thinking that Nolan was unhappy with his performance because the director kept cutting during a scene with Jon Bernthal. Holland later learned that the interruption had nothing to do with his acting. The reason was the IMAX film cameras used on the set, which could only record for about 3 minutes at a time.
Speaking to Fandango, Holland said working with IMAX cameras for the first time was unlike anything he had experienced before. He said he did not know the IMAX film magazines only lasted about three minutes, so the repeated cuts during the scene made him question what was happening. “I remember you would continue cutting, and I was with Jon [Bernthal], like, ‘Why does he keep cutting? Why does he keep doing that?"' Holland said. The actor added that he began wondering whether Nolan did not like what he and Bernthal were doing in the scene.
The misunderstanding was cleared up by stunt coordinator George Cottle. He said Cottle explained that there were only three minutes in the camera magazine, which meant the team had to stop and reload. Holland said the explanation came as a relief because he had been worried about the scene. “I was like, ‘Oh, thank god.’ I thought I was totally sh**ting the bed in this scene,” he said. The moment also highlights one of the main production details around Nolan’s film. 'The Odyssey' has been billed as the first film shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, and that technical choice has become a key part of the film’s publicity. Nolan has used IMAX cameras across several earlier projects, including 'The Dark Knight,' 'Dunkirk,' 'Tenet,' and 'Oppenheimer.' With 'The Odyssey,' he expanded that approach to the full movie; actors had to adjust to the camera's timing and unique filming process.
Holland stars as Telemachus, the son of Matt Damon’s Odysseus and Anne Hathaway’s Penelope. In Homer’s story, Telemachus is left in Ithaca while Odysseus is away after the Trojan War, and his search for his father is one of the main parts of the epic. Nolan’s film follows Odysseus as he tries to return home after the war while facing a series of trials on the journey. The cast also includes Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page, Himesh Patel, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jesse Garcia, Will Yun Lee, Rafi Gavron, Shiloh Fernandez, and Mia Goth.
Despite the nervous first day, Holland has spoken positively about working with Nolan and producer Emma Thomas. In a GQ profile, he called the experience the best he has had on a film set. He said working with Nolan and Thomas gave him a close look at how they approach filmmaking. Holland also said the experience helped him understand why they are considered among the best in the business. What Holland first read as a possible sign of Nolan’s dissatisfaction turned out to be a practical part of shooting with IMAX film cameras. 'The Odyssey' is set to release in theaters on July 17, including IMAX screenings.
