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Matt Damon Drops 15 lb, Nolan's Odyssey Nets $264 M

7/28/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Matt Damon lost about 15 pounds, dropping to roughly 167 pounds, to play Odysseus in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.”
He shed the weight through a six-month program with trainer Gabe Stump, DPT, using an apartment gym and a gluten-free diet.
During production Damon suffered dizzy spells and hot flashes, which he initially kept private.
The film opened with roughly $264 million global debut, Nolan’s biggest opening.

History

Historical Context

In 2004 Bale shed 63 lb for Brad Anderson’s The Machinist, a loss director Darren Aronofsky called a 20 % body-mass cut. The stark transformation, echoing earlier extremes like De Niro’s Raging Bull, prompted studios such as Warner Bros. to budget larger trainer teams, a practice that helped launch Nolan’s Batman trilogy, whose 2008 sequel grossed over $1 billion worldwide.

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Story summary

Matt Damon lost about 15 pounds, dropping to roughly 167 pounds, to play Odysseus in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.”
He shed the weight through a six-month program with trainer Gabe Stump, DPT, using an apartment gym and a gluten-free diet.
During production Damon suffered dizzy spells and hot flashes, which he initially kept private.
The film opened with roughly $264 million global debut, Nolan’s biggest opening.

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