The Odyssey (2026) Behind the Scenes: Laestrygonians, Polyphemus & Sirens

Have you ever wondered how the giant Celestrogorians were brought to life? How the Cyclops sequence was shot? Or who actually played the sirens in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey? The answers are more surprising than you might expect. Hello there and let's find out! To bring the character of the Cyclops Polyphemus to life, actor and clown Bill Irvin was cast to portray him and also provided the voice. They also used a huge practical puppet for better interaction with the actors. Just look at its size! So it's a mix of practical and digital effects. Bill Irvin also worked with Nolan in Interstellar, provided the distinct voice and physical on-set puppetry for the tactical robot TARS. The soldiers Polyphemus feasted on were practical as well. They first scanned creature designer Charlie Hernandez before turning his likeness into tiny silicon soldiers. Each miniature contained a 3D-printed skeleton and a concealed blood pack. They even went the extra mile by dressing every miniature in scaled-down versions of the real armor, complete with helmets and tiny facial hair. The scene was shot in a real cave in Greece called Nestor's Cave after King Nestor from Homer's Odyssey. It took the actors and the film crew about 45 minutes to get there. The attack of the Celestrogorians may look like a visual effects spectacle, but Nolan approached it very differently. Instead of relying on CGI to create towering giants, the sequence was filmed in Scotland's Coblin Forest using a clever mix of practical filmmaking techniques. Forced perspective, carefully planned camera angles, and only the necessary visual effects were combined to feel the creatures feel enormous while keeping everything grounded in reality. To sell the illusion, the production cast actors who stood around 7 feet tall as the Celestrogorians. They were then paired with stunt performers averaging about 5 feet in height, making the size difference look even more dramatic before any digital work was added. Matt Damon wasn't always the person on screen. He had a female stunt double, Devyn Dalton, in that sequence. Standing beside the 7-foot actors, she looked even smaller, making the giants appear truly massive. The Sirens were created in a very different way. Rather than casting traditional actresses, the production hired elite stunt performers to portray these mythical creatures. Kelsey Turner, Alicia Vela Bailey, Markeline Fensley, India Anderson, Imani Benamrush, and Laura Bertler all took on the role, and each of them has specialized stunt scales. If those names sound unfamiliar, you've almost certainly seen their work before. These women have doubled major Hollywood stars and performed dangerous action scenes in countless blockbuster films. The Circe scene was also full practical. They used the same technique as in The American Werewolf in London. So now you know a little bit more about the making of The Odyssey. I think it's always interesting to watch the filmmaking process behind the scenes, especially for films of this scale. Well, that's all! Thanks for watching! Please like, subscribe, watch more videos, and see you next time! Take care!