Tom Holland has joined The Rest Is History for a special episode exploring Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming film The Odyssey.
In a conversation certain to delight fans and confuse search engines in equal measure, actor Tom Holland sits down with historian and The Rest Is History co host Tom Holland to discuss Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic poem.
The interview covers filming in IMAX, bringing an ancient story to modern audiences and the balance between historical reality and myth.
Reflecting on working with IMAX cameras, the actor explained how the format demands a different style of performance because every detail is visible.
He said: “IMAX is a very different beast. You know, I would say that there’s a huge difference between acting on stage to acting on screen.
“And then there’s an even bigger difference between acting on screen and acting on IMAX. Because you just can’t hide anything in IMAX. The resolution is so good and there’s no secrets. There’s nowhere to hide.
“It really promotes a sort of more subtle version of performance because it can very quickly become too much.”
Tom also praised Christopher Nolan’s screenplay, saying he was amazed at how the director condensed such a vast story while preserving its emotional impact.
“I think it was the scope and scale of the story. For anyone that’s familiar with The Odyssey, the kind of ancient text, turning it into a film feels like you’d have to make five films,” he said.
“It’s such a vast piece of work. But Chris’s ability to tell that story in 130 pages while maintaining the heart and the soul of what makes the story so exciting, so emotional, so relevant today, I think it’s just such a feat.”
The discussion also explores Anne Hathaway’s portrayal of Penelope, with Holland describing her resilience as matching that of Odysseus as she protects Ithaca and her son during his long absence.
Discussing one of the film’s central ideas, Holland explained how he believes Nolan separates history from mythology.
He said: “To me, the way I see the film is that Telemachus and Penelope represent the reality of the story. And Odysseus’ side of the story represents the myth.”
The episode also arrives as historian Tom Holland has found himself at the centre of online debate after defending The Odyssey against critics who described the film as “woke”, prompting a public exchange involving Elon Musk.
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