Why Zendaya Was Nervous Filming Nolan’s New Epic

Explore Zendaya’s thrilling role as Athena in Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated epic, The Odyssey.

A Monumental Summer Release

Audiences all around the world have been waiting for the summer release. The celebrated filmmaker Christopher Nolan is returning to the big screen with The Odyssey, an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek classic.

The movie is set to premiere worldwide on July 17 th. It is no surprise that the film has gained a lot of hype before its official release since it includes some of the most anticipated elements.

A Powerhouse Supporting Cast

The cast of the monstrous fantasy-adventure film includes a star-studded ensemble. Most notably, Matt Damon and Zendaya. Damon plays Odysseus, the legendary king of Ithaca, trying to get home after the Trojan War, while Zendaya portrays the ethereal goddess Athena.

Their powerful screen presence is bound to captivate movie lovers worldwide.

Finding the Goddess Inside You

Damon and Zendaya prepare to dive into their respective roles in an upcoming film. For Zendaya, playing a mythological figure was not something she worried about. The young actress shared that she was most excited about finding the humanity in the heart of a powerful goddess.

Zendaya admitted her creative process was built upon the emotional undertone of the script. The approach allowed her to tap into a different, more vulnerable, aspect of the all-powerful deity.

A Reflection of Odysseus’s Troubled Heart

The actress found herself connecting to the story on a deeply philosophical level. Zendaya shared that, in many ways, Athena embodied the internal conflict of the Odyssey himself.

As the tormented king makes his way through the dangerous world trying to get back to Penelope, his wife, he is constantly being guided and reminded of the horrors he has encountered alongside the war.

Delivering Divine Tough Love

It is in these interactions with Odysseus that Athena reveals her true purpose in the film. The character has to remind the troubled king of the atrocities he has committed and the mistakes he has made throughout his journey.

It was a clever use of the divine intervention theme, as the goddess serves as a manifestation of the man’s deepest regrets as he struggles to come to terms with himself and return home.

Haunted by His Own Past

The young actor revealed that, in many ways, Odysseus was living in the past. Zendaya shared that, during the early stages of the shoot, she found herself thinking about the character’s inner self, which was haunted by the ghosts of his past decisions and behaviors.

In trying to reach his goal of returning home, he has to reconcile with the atrocities he took part in and the suffering he has caused others.

The Set Was Unbelievable

During the shoot, Zendaya shared that the first few days were overwhelming, especially when she got to Morocco to film the famous siege of Troy. The magnitude of the set and the sheer scale of it all was enough to frighten anyone, even newcomers to the industry.

The young actress shared that, despite having worked in Hollywood for quite some time, the magnitude of this particular production was genuinely intimidating to her. The environment was so realistic that she felt like she had stepped right into the ancient world herself.

Working on Nolan Movies Was Terrifying at First

Zendaya shared that when she first arrived on the set, there was a certain level of nervousness that came with the territory. She described the situation as “so nervous” and added that the atmosphere itself was pretty intimidating.

The tension was understandable, considering the sheer scale of the undertaking. Working on a Nolan film was certainly not something she was used to.

Practical Effects Are Remarkable

Nolan is known for his films’ incredible practical effects. It seems the actress shared some love for the sheer magnitude of it all. Zendaya described the world brought to life by Nolan as remarkable in every sense of the word, saying that every single detail in every single costume was incredibly elaborate.

The entire environment was so immersive that she hardly had to put any effort into her performance, as if she had truly been in the ancient world.

The Cold Weather Was Freezing

As if the sheer scale of the film was not challenging enough, there was also the aspect of the weather to consider. The film’s production team decided to do most of the shooting in Morocco, which meant that the cast and crew would have to endure the freezing winter.

However, the exciting prospect of the film seemed to overshadow the misery of the elements. It was especially apparent during some of the more thrilling and action-packed sequences, where the cast and crew were too excited to complain about the dreadful weather.

The Excitement Was Unreal

Speaking of the freezing conditions, Zendaya shared that she felt so energized by the whole experience that running around in the cold weather seemed like nothing. Especially during the most exciting parts of the filming, the young actress said she was so thrilled she hardly felt the frigid raindrops hitting her skin.

In fact, when the concerned crew members told her to put on a jacket to keep warm, she completely forgot about the cold due to the sheer excitement of it all.