Costume Designer Ellen Mirojnick on Avoiding Sword-and-Sandals Clichés in Nolan's 'The Odyssey'
Costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, who previously worked with Christopher Nolan on 'Oppenheimer,' explains how she avoided Hollywood clichés for 'The Odyssey.' The film, set at the end of the Trojan War, uses fabrics like linen, leather, and patinated bronze to create a weathered, timeless aesthetic rather than a historical period piece. Odysseus (Matt Damon) wears battle-tested leather and bronze that erodes as his character deteriorates. Penelope's suitors, including Robert Pattinson's Antinous, wear gleaming bronze to show off their wealth. Deities like Athena (Zendaya) wear simple off-white linen, while Calypso (Charlize Theron) wears practical netting. Circe's costume incorporates artifacts from travelers. Helen (Lupita Nyong'o) wears a 30-pound brushed bronze chest plate, and Clytemnestra wears tyrian purple dye made from sea snails. Penelope (Anne Hathaway) expresses stillness through subtle silhouette shifts. Mirojnick aims to author a mythology rather than design a period.
Key facts
- Christopher Nolan directed 'The Odyssey'.
- Ellen Mirojnick is the costume designer.
- Mirojnick previously worked with Nolan on 'Oppenheimer'.
- The film uses linen, leather, and bronze fabrics.
- Odysseus is played by Matt Damon.
- Penelope is played by Anne Hathaway.
- Telemachus is played by Tom Holland.
- Robert Pattinson plays Antinous.
- Zendaya plays Athena.
- Charlize Theron plays Calypso.
- Lupita Nyong'o plays Helen and Clytemnestra.
- Helen wears a 30-pound brushed bronze chest plate.
- Clytemnestra wears tyrian purple dye.
- The film avoids sword-and-sandals clichés.
- The aesthetic is timeless rather than historical.