The Odyssey’s Himesh Patel and Lupita Nyong’o on IMAX Cameras and Favorite Christopher Nolan Films
The two stars talk about how they came to join the ensemble and what challenges they faced making the epic film.
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“I was like, ‘I don’t need to read the script. It’s a yes.’” That was Lupita Nyong’o’s first reaction to being offered a role in Christopher Nolan’s newest epic, The Odyssey. But, as the Oscar-winner tells Seen on the Screen host Jacqueline Coley, that wasn’t good enough for Nolan. “He said, ‘No, no, no, please read the script.’”
Nyong’o did, in fact, read the script, and her answer remained unchanged. Of course, just because the movie was an easy “yes” doesn’t mean that the production wasn’t without its challenges. “When I learned that we were shooting entirely on IMAX, I thought, ‘Ooh boy, there is no room for mistakes,‘” Nyong’o says.
The IMAX film camera is, by all accounts, enormous, and, as Nyong’o points out, expensive. But instead of being intimidated by working with the camera, she tells Coley she was motivated by it. “There’s just a level of focus that comes with the understanding that we are burning through money and you have to be prepared,”
Her co-star Himesh Patel, who previously experienced working with Nolan and his IMAX camera on Tenet, agrees. “We all rose to the challenge,” he tells Coley, adding that the camera was impossible to ignore, making it a constant reminder of Nolan’s vision. “Because of the size of it, you’re so aware of it. It just sort of commands a level of respect that makes you bring your A-game in a different way.”
Despite the technical precision demanded by the use of IMAX film cameras, Patel says that working on the Odyssey “always felt very collaborative and very free.” You can hear more about Nyong’o and Patel’s experience working with Nolan as they reveal their favorite of the director’s films by pressing play on this episode of Seen on the Screen above.
The Odyssey hits theaters — both IMAX and regular — on July 17. Buy tickets now on Fandango.
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Seen on the Screen is a Universal Entertainment and Fandango podcast series hosted by Jacqueline Coley, Awards Editor at Rotten Tomatoes.
Claim your ticket to witness the personal narratives happening behind the scenes of film and entertainment! Each episode invites you into intimate conversations with filmmakers, actors, and industry insiders. Blending sharp cinematic trivia with thoughtfully crafted interview questions, Jacqueline leads each guest through a rich, reflective journey into their lifelong relationship with entertainment. From the formative movie‑going experiences that shaped their artistic worldview to their career‑defining moves — asking them to reflect on the films that have rocked their world, scared the daylights out of them, and changed them forever.
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