[This story contains spoilers for Christopher Nolan‘sThe Odyssey.]
John Leguizamo has made all kinds of movies and TV series over his 40-year-long acting career, shining in recurring collaborations with the likes of Baz Luhrmann (Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!) and Jon Favreau (Chef, The Mandalorian). But for the Colombian native, it’s often required a director seeing him outside the box to let him show what he can do. His solo performances on stage, particularly shows like Latin History for Morons and Freak, have won him Emmys and Tonys and widespread acclaim — and reminded that there’s far more to the Tisch alum than the big screen has often held. “It’s as if, because I’m a Latin man, I always have to play the villain or the aggressor or a perp,” he says.
But Christopher Nolan saw something very different in Leguizamo, seeking him out for one of the most significant roles in his take on The Odyssey. The Oscar-winning director cast the actor as Eumaeus, the faithful servant of Odysseus (Matt Damon) coming to terms with his grief over his master’s prolonged absence. While he waits and holds out hope, though, he cannily operates behind the scenes, counseling Odysseus’ son Telemachus (Tom Holland) on how to step up, and maneuvering as best he can to ensure that Odysseus’ wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and family are not ruined by the chaos infiltrating Ithaca.
