Oscar-winner Charlize Theron is officially joining the cast of Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film The Odyssey—and she’s just weeks away from heading to set.
In a recent red carpet interview with Variety, Theron confirmed she’s playing Circe, the legendary sorceress from Homer’s epic poem. However, she also revealed that filming hasn’t started for her yet. “I leave in a couple of weeks,” she said when asked about her experience so far on set.
Theron admitted she’s feeling the pressure of stepping into a large ensemble cast that’s already well into production. “It’s super intimidating,” she confessed. “I am the last one to show up. So, I’ll be like the new kid on the block. Everybody will know what they are doing—and not me.”
When asked how she’s preparing to embody the powerful and mystical Circe, Theron kept it real. “I don’t know. I’m just gonna talk to Chris [Nolan] about it, and we’ll see where it goes.”
As for the last time she read The Odyssey? “Oh! Really? A long time ago,” she laughed.
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What We Know About Circe and The Odyssey
In Greek mythology, Circe is a divine enchantress known for her mysterious magic. In Homer’s Odyssey, she famously transforms some of Odysseus’ men into swine. Odysseus, guided by divine intervention, manages to outwit her, and she becomes a key figure in his long journey back to Ithaca.
Nolan’s adaptation began filming in February 2025, with the filmmaker not only directing but also writing the screenplay. It promises to be a visually ambitious and narratively rich take on Homer’s classic, told through his signature lens of psychological depth and time-bending storytelling.
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A Star-Studded Greek Epic
The cast of The Odyssey is stacked with Hollywood heavyweights:
• Matt Damon as Odysseus
• Tom Holland as Telemachus
• Anne Hathaway
• Robert Pattinson
• Zendaya
• Lupita Nyong’o
• Mia Goth
• Elliot Page
• Jon Bernthal
• John Leguizamo
• Benny Safdie
With Theron stepping in as Circe, expectations are even higher for Nolan’s mythological epic.
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Release Date
The Odyssey is slated to hit theaters July 17, 2026, giving fans plenty of time to revisit Homer’s original text—or simply wait for Nolan’s cinematic take to unfold in what promises to be one of the most talked-about films of the decade.
