Damon worked hard to build a physique worthy of portraying Odysseus.
Actor Matt Damon is no stranger to physique transformations to fit roles in Hollywood. At 54 years old, Damon built a shredded physique to prepare for his role as Odysseus in ‘The Odyssey.’
Damon has been featured in many films for decades now including Good Will Hunting and Field of Dreams. He is no stranger to physique transformations and we saw it most as he took part in the Jason Bourne franchise.
During his prep, Damon focused on bodyweight movements rather than heavy weightlifting. Damon’s trainer, Jason Walsh, has spoken about his prep in the past while dealing with shoulder and back injuries.
“People always want to add more weight. We don’t even touch a weight. It’s all calisthenics work. It’s about connecting to the body again and then maybe putting weight on, or starting to hold moves for longer periods of time.”
The Christopher Nolan film will be released in July 2026. To prepare for his role, Damon has taken on methods that have worked in the past to get ripped up.
Matt Damon Challenging Himself During Physique Transformation
Damon might have used similar tactics to improve his physique but he made sure to challenge himself in different ways. This includes weighted pull-ups, push-ups, and planks.
“He loves challenges. We got to the point where we were doing 100 pull-ups two or three times a week. We’d see how many sets it takes to get to 100. Once you lose some of the excess weight, pull-ups get a lot easier.”
Matt Damon has a complete dedication to his craft. Along with transforming his physique, Damon has worked over the years to improve within his stunts as well. This includes working with stunt man James Newman to be more “efficient.”
“That’s the character. Odysseus is really the only war scene character along that journey. The guys he has with him have fought with him but Odysseus himself is like, “I’ve lived and breathed battle,” and so that makes him more smart, and that’s why he’s so good.”
Matt Damon has impressed in many ways over the course of his legendary career on the big screen. At 54 years old, he continues to take his performances to the next level and that is what fans can expect in ‘The Odyssey.’
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