British actor Tom Holland has opened up about his initial nerves when encountering celebrated director Sir Christopher Nolan for their ambitious new film, The Odyssey. Holland, 30, who is currently also preparing for the release of his latest Spider-Man outing, Brand New Day, confessed his apprehension during an interview on the Dish From Waitrose podcast.
Holland is set to star as Telemachus in Nolan's highly anticipated adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic poem. The film charts the arduous 10-year journey of Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca played by Matt Damon, as he endeavours to return home following the Trojan War. Holland described the project as 'probably the biggest movie that has ever been made', noting its groundbreaking use of Imax film cameras for the entirety of its production.
Recounting the moment he was offered the role, Holland admitted his immediate response was 'yes'. Despite his initial intimidation, he found the 55-year-old director to be 'a very disarming person, he's really kind, he's really personable'. Holland was particularly captivated by Nolan's vision, stating, 'I was just excited as a fan of cinema to hear what he was planning on doing, and then to get the chance to be in it was just… I'm still to this day kind of pinching myself.'
The actor also shed light on Nolan's unique working style, revealing the director has no phone. This meant Holland was called in for an in-person meeting rather than receiving a direct call from Sir Christopher. During their initial discussion, Holland recalled 'for a long time we just chatted as just two people, about film, and then he kind of dropped the mic and said, 'the movie I want to make is The Odyssey''.
Holland was evidently impressed by Nolan's screenwriting prowess, taking the script home that night and being 'absolutely floored by his ability to adapt something that's so massive'. He added, 'I think he's so celebrated as a director, he's often overlooked as a writer.' The star-studded cast also features prominent names such as Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. The Odyssey is currently showing in cinemas across the UK.