Fitting of the original epic poem upon which it was based, filming Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey was fraught with challenges. This is thanks in no small part to the fact that the director famously chooses innovative approaches to practical effects instead of relying on CGI.
So, for one particular action sequence in the high-grossing swords-and-sandals blockbuster, wherein our titular hero goes head-to-head with an army of semi-giants, Nolan had to find the right man to handle the intense combat, help create a convincing height difference illusion, and possess a similar physique to Matt Damon (playing Odysseus).
Turns out, the right man for this job…was a woman.
A surprising solution for one of The Odyssey’s biggest battles
During an interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Damon explained that the giant warriors, aka the Laestrygonians, were played by men who “were all seven feet.” To make them look even more imposing, Nolan incorporated “forced perspective,” a tried-and-true photography technique to trick the brain into thinking objects or people are smaller or larger than they really are (i.e., how Peter Jackson gave us hobbits).
That meant all the stunt men on Odysseus’ team were “under five feet,” said Damon.
That’s when he revealed that his stunt was actually a female stunt performer, and praised her not only for her work, but for having the “greatest arms” he’d “ever seen.”
“It was almost 100 percent my arms in the movie, but you gotta give it up where it’s due,” he quipped.
About stunt performer Devyn Dalton
That woman with the impressive biceps is Devyn Dalton. Reported to be 4 ft 6 in and trained in boxing, Muay Thai, fencing, sword fighting, and multiple forms of dance, it’s no wonder why she has a full stunt performer resume for both movies and video games—everything from The Last of Us to the Planet of the Apes franchise.
On her own Instagram, Dalton shared a few fun images while on location, including gorgeous views of the Scottish Highlands and some photos showing off those legendary guns.
In one post, she shared her gratitude for the project, writing:
“An epic team effort. We worked hard, shared plenty of laughs, and created memories I’ll never forget. The best part of this job is getting to venture to new places and meet amazing people along the way.”
The unseen work behind unforgettable scenes
Dalton certainly isn’t the first woman to double for a male actor on screen, either. Stunt casting has long prioritized body type, movement, and physical ability over gender when the camera isn’t showing a performer’s face. This means other female stunt performers have stepped in for male actors, including Daniel Radcliffe and Elijah Wood, when their height or build made them the best fit for a particular shot. And not to mention Lord of the Rings again (my nerd is showing), but Two Towers famously featured mostly female riders sporting beards as the Riders of Rohan.
When it comes to movie magic, it’s all about seamlessly adding in elements that make the story feel real. Even if that means a woman with “the greatest arms” Matt Damon has ever seen stepping in as Odysseus for one of the film’s biggest action sequences. Audiences are unlikely to notice until someone lets them in on the secret, and that’s all part of the fun.
