The Odyssey: Tom Holland speaks up on Zendaya's casting

The reasons behind Christopher Nolan’s desire to cast Zendaya in The Odyssey have been revealed by iconic actor Tom Holland. During a recent conversation with Access Hollywood, the 30-year-old actor disclosed that Nolan initially approached him to ask if he would mind if Zendaya were cast as the goddess Athena in the upcoming epic fantasy action movie.

Recalling the interaction, Tom Holland remarked, “At my meeting with Chris, he asked me a question. He said, ‘Do you mind if I ask you a question, and please don’t be offended by my asking?’ And I thought he was going to ask me something like, ‘Can we put lifts in your shoes or something to make you taller?’ I didn’t know what he was going to say. But then he went, ‘Would you be offended if I asked Zendaya to play Athena?’ I was like, ‘Why would I be offended?’”

The Spider-Man actor continued, “I just said, ‘Oh, mate, I would be honored. That’s amazing. I’m sure she would love to.’ And then I asked him, ‘Do you want me to tell her?’ And he said, ‘Yeah.’ So I went home, and when she asked me about the meeting, I just said to her, ‘You should read the script again.’”

Eager audiences should mark their calendars, as Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film, The Odyssey, is poised to hit theaters on July 17, 2026. Alongside Tom Holland and Zendaya, the star-studded ensemble cast includes Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Himesh Patel, Samantha Morton, Elliot Page, Mia Goth, and Bill Irwin.