Matt Damon Says He Got Down to 167 Lbs. — His High-School Weight — While Filming “The Odyssey”: ‘Lean but Strong’
- - Matt Damon Says He Got Down to 167 Lbs. — His High-School Weight — While Filming “The Odyssey”: ‘Lean but Strong’
Vanessa EtienneJanuary 8, 2026 at 2:21 AM
0
Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures;CIAOPIX/COBRA TEAM / BACKGRID
Matt Damon is Odysseus in THE ODYSSEY -
Matt Damon said he got in great physical shape for The Odyssey after director Christopher Nolan wanted him “lean but strong” for the role
The 55-year-old said on Jason and Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast that he weighed 167 lbs. during filming, when he typically weighs between 185-200 lbs.
The actor said he did a lot of training and followed a strict diet to prepare, including going gluten-free
Matt Damon revealed he “lost a lot of weight” while preparing for The Odyssey.
On Wednesday, Jan. 7, the actor made an appearance on the latest episode of Jason and Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast. The 55-year-old opened up about the physical transformation he made for the Greek epic, in which he stars as the title character Odysseus.
During the show, Jason told Damon he saw a photo circulating online of Damon looking “pretty yoked up” while on set.
“Yeah, I was in really good shape,” he replied. “I lost a lot of weight. [Director Christopher Nolan] said he wanted me like lean but strong. It's a weird thing.”
“I literally, just because of this other thing I did with my doctor, stopped eating gluten. I used to walk around between 185 and 200 pounds. and I did that whole movie at 167 pounds.” Damon continued. “I haven’t been that light since high school. So it was a lot of training and a really strict diet.”
Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures
Matt Damon is Odysseus in THE ODYSSEY
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
Travis then asked Damon if he had to source a trainer to help with his weight loss, or if he already had someone in mind. The Oscar winner said that he has a trainer who can basically do anything.
“It's just having kind of a clear goal and setting it,” he explained before comparing it to the brothers’ experience training for an NFL season.
“When I do that or when I do the Jason Bourne movies or whatever, it feels almost like a season, I would imagine, what that feels like for you guys where you're preparing. It's like just part of your day. It's part of your job, right? It's like you get really routinized about it and kind of build your day around all that stuff. That's kind of the physical side of getting ready.”
Damon then said that he still hasn't returned to eating gluten.
“I’m done. I'm gluten-free everything. I found a gluten-free beer,” he said with a laugh. “It's been so long since I've had gluten, I can't tell if it's good or not. So that's a good sign.”
Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures
Matt Damon is Odysseus in 'The Odyssey'
— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Last month, Universal Pictures released a teaser trailer for The Odyssey, adapted from Homer's ancient Greek poem of the same name.
A synopsis for the movie describes it as "a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX® film technology." The trailer shows Damon as Odysseus and brief glimpses at his life during the Trojan War (including the iconic Trojan Horse) and his years-long journey back to his homeland.
In addition to Damon, the adaptation’s star-studded cast also includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, John Leguizamo, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Elliot Page, Mia Goth, Charlize Theron and Benny Safdie, among others.
The Odyssey is in theaters July 17.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
