Matt Damon Says Wife and Daughters Team-Shaved His ‘Odysseus’ Beard: “They Weren’t Fans”
Matt Damon shares how his family reacted to the beard he grew to play Odysseus in The Odyssey back home.
After months of living with the rugged look he adopted for Christopher Nolan ’s The Odyssey , Matt Damon says the beard was a flop at home. His wife and daughters disliked it so much that, once filming wrapped, the whole family turned its removal into a mini celebration in the bathroom.
“They were not fans. We all shaved it off together at the end,”
Damon told Entertainment Tonight, adding that the group shave became a sweet family moment after a long shoot.
Getting into hero shape
The beard was only part of it. Damon said he dropped more than 30 pounds, getting down to 167 — the same weight he carried in high school — by keeping a strict balance of diet and exercise. He noted that his gluten allergy naturally shaped what he could eat, and that the real key was consistency, not shortcuts.
The role
In Nolan’s adaptation, Damon plays Odysseus , the king of Ithaca whose long trek home pits him against vengeful gods and mythic creatures. The character’s mix of wit, grit, and resilience has made him one of the most enduring figures in Greek mythology.
Who else is aboard
- Tom Holland
- Zendaya
- Anne Hathaway
- Robert Pattinson
- Lupita Nyong’o
- Charlize Theron
Christopher Nolan directs the ensemble, and Damon said the shoot was demanding — but the beard didn’t survive the credits at home, thanks to that family shave finale.