Make no mistake: just because Penelope doesn’t go toe-to-toe with a Cyclops, Sirens and murderous Laestrygonians in The Odyssey, doesn’t mean she’s
Make no mistake: just because Penelope doesn’t go toe-to-toe with a Cyclops, Sirens and murderous Laestrygonians in The Odyssey, doesn’t mean she’s not facing dangers of her own. Played by Anne Hathaway in Christopher Nolan’s modern blockbuster adaptation, the wife of Odysseus is stationed back home in Ithaca, awaiting her husband’s return after the Trojan War. But since the ETA of Odysseus (Matt Damon) is, well, years away, she’s tasked with ensuring the throne isn’t usurped by all kinds of nefarious types – including Robert Pattinson’s scheming Antinous.
For Hathaway, Penelope proved a fascinating character in her own right, holding mighty in the belief that her husband will eventually come home. “There’s a way to think about her that she is just kind of passively, quietly waiting,” she tells Empire. “But I didn’t see her like that. I saw her as this incredible, active, ride-or-die partner. I wanted her to have a sense of danger to her. That she’s not doing this out of a sense of duty — she genuinely loves [Odysseus] with her whole fiery soul.”
Part of Penelope’s plan is a sneaky bit of subterfuge. Weaving a shroud on her loom – with the understanding that she’ll have to choose a suitor to marry once it’s finished – she secretly unpicks it each night, buying herself more time. “I’m not known for my craft work,” laughs Hathaway of getting to grips with the age-old art of weaving. A teacher was on hand to get her up to speed. “We practiced on a makeshift loom. And then I got some time to practice on the big one that was on set. It was lovely,” she says. “There’s something so rhythmic about it.” By the time she needed to look comfortable with the kit on screen, she was a dab hand – and any imperfections were in keeping with the character. “I was like, ‘Well, I guess she does unpick it every night, so it doesn’t have to be perfect’,” she laughs. Your move, Antinous.
Read Empire’s full The Odyssey feature – going on set for two days; speaking to Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson; spending time with Christopher Nolan in post-production; and much more – in the August 2026 issue, on sale Thursday July 2. Pre-order a copy online here – and choose one of three collectible covers. The Odyssey comes to cinemas from July 17.
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