Why Eumaeus In Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Appears So Acquainted

One thing that is genuinely thrilling about Christopher Nolan’s tackle “The Odyssey” — nicely, considered one of many thrilling issues, to be sincere — is that Nolan is bringing some new faces into the fray. I do not essentially imply “new” actors as in full unknowns right here; what I imply is that, alongside common Nolan gamers and former collaborators like Anne Hathaway, Elliot Web page, and James Remar, new bombshells are getting into the proverbial Nolan villa. Certainly, the Oscar-winning director’s adaptation of the Greek epic poem attributed to Homer options phenomenal performers like Lupita Nyong’o, Tom Holland, and the honored performer John Leguizamo in key roles as nicely.

Leguizamo portrays Eumaeus, a pal and ally to the story’s titular hero Odysseus (Matt Damon) who gives counsel and help to his troubled buddy whereas additionally working as a blind swineherd. As Leguizamo himself advised Polygon, he was shocked by the “no telephones” ban Nolan famously employs on his movie units. All the identical, he mentioned his expertise making this grueling film in numerous locales (like Greece and Morocco) felt really collaborative. As he recalled:

“The tempo that he goes at is intense. He is there with you. He’s behind the digicam, the place all administrators ought to be, as a result of that is the place you possibly can see an actor’s soul, from that size. And he is within the components, man. If it is freezing, he is freezing. If you happen to’re in a windstorm, he is in that windstorm. You by no means really feel alone. He is all the time defending you.”

So, the place have you ever seen Leguizamo earlier than? Truthfully, I believe the higher query is: The place have not you seen Leguizamo earlier than? From fantastical love tales to a latest biting satire and a searing take a look at a real-life miscarriage of justice, this is why Eumaeus from “The Odyssey” seems to be acquainted.

Let me get this out of the best way, as a result of I do know we’ve some large followers of this specific film on workers: John Leguizamo very famously appeared within the live-action “Tremendous Mario Bros.” film adaptation in 1993, which helped put him on the map as a performer. Since then, although, he is spent most of his profession displaying his appreciable vary. Throughout two collaborations with Baz Luhrmann, Leguizamo gave two radically completely different performances — bringing a snarling Tybalt to life in “Romeo + Juliet” (the movie that ushered within the period of “Cool Shakespeare”) and portraying actual Parisian artist Toulouse Lautrec with sensitivity and empathy within the frantic and emotional jukebox musical “Moulin Rouge!” That alone proves that he can play absolutely anything.

To return even additional, Leguizamo received his begin on each the large and small display screen within the Eighties — his first credited TV look was on “Miami Vice” and his first movie was the 1984 darkish comedy “Combined Blood” — and has actually by no means stopped working. Extra so, other than his fruitful collaborations with Luhrmann, Leguizamo has appeared in every thing from “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Every thing! Julie Newmar” (which earned him a Golden Globe nod for Finest Supporting Actor in a Movement Image) to a film adaptation of “Love within the Time of Cholera” to “The Lincoln Lawyer” and even the “John Wick” franchise. Leguizamo has additionally lent his extraordinarily recognizable voice to critters within the Eddie Murphy-led “Physician Dolittle” movies and the animated “Ice Age” films. (Within the latter, he voices the bottom sloth Sid.)

At a sure level, it could in all probability take me much less time to listing the flicks and TV reveals through which John Leguizamo does not seem; this Swiss military knife of an actor is de facto in nearly every thing, and it is all the time a delight to see him present up. On the large display screen, you’ve got in all probability seen Leguizamo in initiatives just like the Santa Claus motion flick “Violent Evening” and the teenager romance movie “The Solar is Additionally a Star.” In “The Menu” (in a task that really practically went to “Harry Potter” veteran Daniel Radcliffe till Leguizamo took it on), he portrays a rich film star (his actual identify, canonically, is George Diaz, however he is credited as “The Film Star”) who, alongside his beleaguered assistant, Felicity Lynn (Aimee Carrero), dines at a restaurant belonging to the vengeful grasp chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). To say he meets a splendidly bitted finish is … an understatement. He even continued his voice work of late by enjoying the Bruno that no one desires to speak about within the Madrigal household from “Encanto.”

So far as Leguizamo’s tv work is anxious, he is saved equally busy. Most notably, he wrote and carried out his acclaimed present “Latin Historical past for Morons” as a stand-up particular for Netflix in 2018, and one 12 months later, he performed a supporting function in “When They See Us,” Ava DuVernay’s sequence in regards to the Exonerated 5 (previously known as the Central Park 5). Leguizamo has even popped up in buzzy initiatives like “The Energy” and “Smoke,” and it seems like we can’t see this man slowing down any time quickly … which is nice information for individuals who like good appearing.

“The Odyssey” hits theaters on July 17, 2026.