Tom Holland Told Zendaya About Her 'Odyssey' Casting
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- Zendaya may play the all-knowing goddess Athena in Christopher Nolan's epic adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey, but she was entirely in the dark about the casting until Holland broke the news.
- Tom Holland, who plays Odysseus' son Telemachus, told Zendaya at home by asking her to re-read the script — this time paying close attention to Athena's lines — prompting an excited reaction.
- Nolan asked Holland during a meeting whether he would be offended if the director pursued Zendaya for the Athena role, then told Holland to inform her himself rather than reaching out through agents.
- Holland told Access Hollywood that Interstellar is Zendaya's favorite movie, calling the chance to share the news "such a gift" because of how much she admires the director.
- Holland admitted he and Zendaya had read the script together the night before his Nolan meeting — a move he suspected violated the famously secretive director's protocol about sharing material.
Why it matters: The reveal offers a rare window into Nolan's tightly-guarded casting process, showing the director personally orchestrated a domestic surprise rather than using standard channels. For Zendaya, a self-described Nolan admirer whose favorite film is Interstellar, the potential role signals a significant step up into the auteur's circle after years of blockbuster franchises.
