SimplyAbuDhabi XLIX

Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland and Zendaya star in Christopher Nolan’s much-anticipated new epic action-fantasy ‘The Odyssey’. The film is an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic of the same name. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, and the film chronicles his long and perilous journey home after the Trojan War, as well as his encounters with mythical beings, as he attempts to reunite with his wife, Penelope, portrayed by Anne Hathaway. Tom Holland plays Telemachus, Odysseus’s son and the prince of Ithaca, who is determined to find his father. Meanwhile, Zendaya plays Athena, the goddess of wisdom, warfare and handicraft, who protects Odysseus on his journey. The ensemble cast also includes Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron. So zendaya, is it true that you found out from tom [holland] that you got this role? Zendaya: Yes. He came home from another meeting with Chris [Nolan], and mind you, when he got the call, we freaked out. It was very exciting. My heart was so full for him. Because I already knew, I was like, ‘I’m gonna be calling you. What was it like?’ You know what I mean? I was trying to hear all the things. So I was just so excited and definitely peeking over his shoulder while he was reading because as a fan like I’m curious. I wanted to know, ‘What Nolan gonna do next? What’s your part?’And then he came back from another meeting and he was like, ‘Read this again, but now read it with this character in mind.’And I was like... ‘What?’ So yeah, I don’t know. I was incredibly grateful that I just even got to be a part of it too. Didn’t see that coming. So was this a surprise for you, this role? Zendaya: Yeah. I mean, I couldn’t have asked for a better phone call. Let’s say it’s like, you know, hearing that Tom got, you know, when I remember when he first got the phone call and I was like over the moon, so excited. I was like, ‘You have to do this. We got to figure out the schedule. This is going to get done.’And then he was able to come home and tell me, ‘Hey, you got a meeting with Mr Nolan as well.’ That was so special. I couldn’t have imagined it getting any better. What was the reaction on your face when he says that? Zendaya: I mean, you have to ask him. I don’t even know what my face was like. I was like, ‘You’re joking, bullshit!’ [laughs] You know what I mean? ‘You’re poking me.’ But it was very special. ZENDAYA I N T E R V I E W b y V i c k y D e a r d e n Simply Abu Dhabi | 149