Nolan praises Zendaya's 'iconic' Athena performance in 'The Odyssey'
Christopher Nolan is seriously impressed with Zendaya's work as Athena in his new film, The Odyssey.
He called her "because of her 'iconic' grace" and "She's a true movie star, but also an incredible actor" in a recent Elle interview.
Matt Damon, who plays Odysseus, shared that Nolan's rare use of the word "perfect" for one of Zendaya's scenes left both him and Tom Holland speechless, a big deal since Nolan is usually pretty reserved with praise.
Star-studded cast for 'The Odyssey'
The Odyssey brings together a star-studded lineup: Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy, Charlize Theron as Calypso, and Robert Pattinson as Antinous.
Damon also admired how Zendaya managed filming this movie alongside Euphoria and other projects, saying she "come in and really put herself in there and blow everybody away, and then just go back to shooting Euphoria."
Catch The Odyssey in theaters starting July 17, 2026.