[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] “Isn’t that special treatment?”
This reaction poured in after it was revealed that Anne Hathaway took a helicopter to work every day during the filming of the movie *The Odyssey*.

However, a closer look at the filming locations tells a completely different story. According to foreign media reports, the film’s primary shooting locations were remote islands and coastal cliffs that were difficult to access by vehicle. Actors and crew members had to travel by boat or hike along mountain trails, and for some locations, helicopters were effectively the only means of transportation. Anne Hathaway’s daily use of a helicopter was due to these filming conditions.
These filming conditions stemmed from director Christopher Nolan’s creative philosophy.
In this film as well, Nolan prioritized real locations and real environments over computer graphics (CG). He traveled to six countries—including Greece, Italy, Morocco, Iceland, and Scotland—to film the sea and cliffs in person. In numerous interviews, he repeatedly emphasized, “The audience must physically feel how arduous ancient navigation was,” and “The physicality of the real world is important.”
This level of dedication left even the actors in awe. Matt Damon, who played Odysseus, recalled that when he first read the script, his immediate thought was, “How on earth are they going to film this?” He found it hard to believe the plan to film most of the scenes—including those featuring monsters, storms, and large-scale voyages—on location. However, once filming began, Nolan brought the film to life using the actual ocean and cliffs as his set. Matt Damon joked, “Who would ever think of shooting a movie in a place like this? Well, Nolan, of course.”

But that wasn’t all. Nolan’s obsession even led him to have new filming equipment custom-built. This film was the first in the world to be shot entirely with IMAX film cameras; however, existing equipment was not only large and heavy but also produced too much noise, making it unsuitable for dialogue scenes. Instead of changing the filming method, Nolan developed a new, smaller, and quieter camera in collaboration with IMAX and deployed it on set. It is also reported that helicopters were used to transport the equipment, which weighed as much as 180 kg, across mountainous terrain.
The actors’ makeup and costumes were no exception. Matt Damon grew a real beard for about a year to play Odysseus. Nolan believed that the texture of a real beard would translate better on screen than a fake one. He also lost weight and adjusted his diet to embody the appearance of a “king who had endured a long voyage.”
Interestingly, Nolan himself described this project as “something so massive that I might not be able to handle it.” He said, “Even while working on the biggest project since *Oppenheimer*, I worried every week about the following week’s shoot,” adding, “Still, I couldn’t give up on *The Odyssey*, a project I’ve cherished for over 20 years.”
Ultimately, Anne Hathaway’s “helicopter commute” wasn’t a perk reserved for A-list stars. The helicopter that transported the actress to a remote island, the helicopter mobilized again to move a 180-kilogram IMAX camera, and even the lead actor who grew a real beard for a year—all these stories boil down to a single principle. No matter how difficult it gets, shoot for “authenticity.” That was Christopher Nolan’s approach to making *The Odyssey*.