Christopher Nolan handpicked some of Hollywood’s hottest actors — including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Norton, Zendaya and Charlize Theron — to star in his upcoming action movie “The Odyssey,” in theaters July 17.
The movie, which is based on the ancient Greek writer Homer’s epic poem about the aftermath of the Trojan War, stars Oscar winner Damon as the Greek king Odysseus, and Holland as his son Telemachus.
But it was Nolan’s rare praise for Zendaya and Hathaway during shooting of the movie that sparked a friendly on-set rivalry among cast members, the director and his stars told TODAY correspondent Kaylee Hartung.
Robert Pattinson, Lupita N’yongo, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, Charlize Theron and Zendaya. Grant Buchanan/Dave Benett/WireImage
During filming, Nolan, who’s known for his analytical directing style, which includes minimal notes to his actors, was admittedly wowed by Zendaya’s performance as the Greek goddess Athena.
“Often referred to on set as perfect,” Nolan said of Zendaya.
“To the chagrin of other people in the cast,” the director added, laughing.
“Sorry, guys,” Zendaya joked to the others.
“Still recovering,” quipped Damon.
“It’s a touchy subject,” Zendaya added.
Were the rumors true that Nolan decided that Zendaya’s performance was “perfect” after her first take?
“I don’t know if it was the first,” Zendaya responded, laughing.
“I felt incredibly encouraged,” she added of the director’s feedback.
Damon and Holland recalled hearing Nolan’s effusive praise for Zendaya. Their reaction?
“Shock and awe,” Holland said to laughter.
Oscar winner Hathaway’s performance as Penelope, Odysseus’s wife, also earned the director’s adulation.
“I think Anne may have gotten a ‘perfect’ actually,” Holland recalled.
“I did,” Hathaway said, adding, “I wrote about it in my journal.”
Though some cast members hadn’t read Homer’s poem prior to being cast, Hathaway was already a fan.
“I did, like, yelp and shriek when Chris said it was ‘The Odyssey.’ It was not a very low-key reaction. I was not calm,” said Hathaway.
Zendaya’s role in the “The Odyssey,” which marks her first collaboration with Nolan, came as a surprise, she said.
Zendaya learned she would appear in the movie after Holland, her “Spider-Man” franchise co-star and now-husband , was already cast.
“It was funny because when he got the call I was just over the moon for him. Like, my heart was so full,” Zendaya said.
“I was just excited about this journey that you were going go on,” she told Holland, “and really didn’t kind of put myself into that equation at all.”
“So it was quite a pleasant surprise,” she said.