Damon, 55, plays Odysseus<\/a> in Christopher Nolan<\/a>\u2019s latest film, an adaptation<\/a> of Homer<\/a>\u2019s Greek epic, which follows the hero\u2019s long journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War as he battles monsters, gods and mythical foes while his wife Penelope fends off suitors and his son Telemachus searches for him<\/a>.<\/p>\n The ensemble cast also includes Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Robert Pattinson as the suitor Antinous, Zendaya as Athena, Samantha Morton as Circe, Charlize Theron as Calypso, and Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy. Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Himesh Patel, Elliot Page, Bill Irwin, and Mia Goth feature as well.<\/p>\n Damon said his stunt double was used in scenes with the Laestrygonians, the race of giant cannibals from Homer\u2019s Odyssey. The sequence required forced-perspective filmmaking, with unusually tall and unusually short stunt performers used to create the illusion of towering giants confronting Odysseus and his men.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were these stuntmen who were all seven feet and then they got stunt men who were under five feet,\u201d Damon said on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. <\/p>\n \u201cMy double was a woman, a female stunt performer who had the greatest arms I\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d <\/p>\n He said when he first met her in the catering tent during filming, he \u201cwent up and hugged her and thanked her for all the work she put in\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cThere are those shots where you see these giants looming over me,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was almost 100 per cent my arms in the movie, but you got to give it up where it\u2019s due.\u201d<\/p>\n The stunt performer has since been identified as Devyn Dalton, who confirmed on social media that Damon was referring to her. Dalton, a Canadian stunt performer, has worked extensively across film and television. Her credits include The Last of Us, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Fall of the House of Usher, Thunderbolts, as well as Wonder, The BFG, Once Upon a Time, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix.<\/p>\n Dalton responded to Damon\u2019s comments on her Instagram, writing: \u201cThis is wild and awesome. Appreciate all the support and shoutouts.\u201d<\/p>\n She also shared photos from the sets of The Odyssey, describing her time shooting the battle sequence in the Scottish Highlands as \u201can adventure\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cNo spoilers just yet, but I\u2019m incredibly grateful to be a part of the Laestrygonian battle. Stunt doubling the incredible Matt Damon. An epic team effort. We worked hard, shared plenty of laughs, and created memories I\u2019ll never forget.\u201d <\/p>\n Damon has previously talked about the physical training <\/a>he underwent to take on the role after Nolan asked him to be \u201clean but strong\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI was in great shape. I lost a lot of weight,\u201d the Good Will Hunting actor told Jason and Travis Kelce<\/a> on their New Heights podcast in January.<\/p>\n Damon lost more than 20 pounds<\/a> and underwent intense training to get in shape to play Odysseus. He said he weighed between 185 and 200 pounds before filming the movie, but worked with his doctor to cut gluten from his diet,<\/a> which proved to be the key to his transformation.<\/p>\n \u201cI did that whole movie at 167,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I haven\u2019t been that light since high school. So it was a lot of training and a really strict diet.\u201d <\/p>\n![\"Jimmy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/01KXZ1EAAACG1WG6QAH6M7JKWA.jpg\")
Jimmy Gonzales as Cepheus, Matt Damon as Odysseus, and Himesh Patel as Eurylochus in The Odyssey (Universal Pictures)<\/p>\n