Tom Holland thought Christopher Nolan 'hated' his acting on 'The Odyssey' after awkward silence

Tom Holland has admitted he briefly feared Christopher Nolan disliked his performance while filming The Odyssey after the Oscar-winning director offered little feedback during production.

Speaking alongside co-star Matt Damon in a promotional interview, Holland recalled becoming increasingly anxious because Nolan rarely commented on his takes. Accustomed to directors offering regular notes or reassurance, the actor admitted he began convincing himself that the silence meant he was doing something wrong.

"I genuinely thought Chris hated my acting," Holland said, explaining that Nolan would simply move on to the next setup without saying much after each scene. 

Matt Damon quickly reassured his younger co-star, revealing that Nolan's reserved directing style is completely normal.

According to Damon, the filmmaker tends to intervene only when something needs changing. If Nolan says very little, it's usually a sign that he's already happy with the performance.

"If he doesn't have any notes, that's a good thing," Damon explained, adding that Nolan trusts his actors and prefers not to over-direct scenes unnecessarily.

Holland said Damon's explanation immediately eased his worries, helping him realise that Nolan's quiet approach reflected confidence in the cast rather than dissatisfaction.

The anecdote offers a light-hearted glimpse behind the scenes of The Odyssey, which marks Holland's first collaboration with the acclaimed director. The actor stars as Telemachus, the son of Matt Damon's Odysseus, in Nolan's adaptation of Homer's epic poem.

The Odyssey features an ensemble cast including Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong'o, Jon Bernthal and Benny Safdie. The film also made history as the first feature shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, thanks to new technology developed specifically for the production.

The highly anticipated epic is set to arrive in cinemas on July 17, with early behind-the-scenes stories continuing to highlight Nolan's distinctive filmmaking style and the collaborative atmosphere on set.