Matt Damon recalls 2004 Red Sox triumph and grueling preparation for 'The Odyssey

Oscar‑winning actor Matt Damon recounted how he rearranged his travel schedule in 2004 to return from Europe and watch the Boston Red Sox begin their historic World Series run. While filming “Syriana” in Dubai, he followed the ALCS from Geneva and, after the Red Sox clinched the series, producer George Clooney told him the schedule had been redone so he could fly home. Damon landed at JFK as Game 1 started, rushed to his New York apartment and watched the Red Sox win, saying he didn’t want to “jinx” the comeback.

More than two decades later, Damon described the physically demanding production of Christopher Nolan’s epic “The Odyssey.” He lost about 33 pounds, dropping to 167 lb, and adopted a strict gluten‑free diet that he calls “life‑changing.” Filming took place in extreme locations—including Moroccan beaches, remote mountaintops and open water—where he said the shoot felt “more like an expedition than a movie.” On set he felt guilty when he saw a crew member carrying his heavy armor, saying, “I felt awful.” Damon called the project “the hardest movie I’ve ever done” because of its ambition and the intense preparation required for the role of Odysseus.