The Odyssey Actor Defends Christopher Nolan’s Ban On Certain Items From His Film Sets

By this point, it’s well-documented that Oscar winner Christopher Nolan is quite particular about what he does and doesn’t allow onto his film sets (for those not in the know, mobile phones, cigarettes and, indeed, Ugg boots are among the items on his taboo list).

However, one of the cast members in his latest big-screen epic has made it clear that meeting the director’s strict rules are no major hardship.

Adam Croasdell – who had a minor role in The Odyssey as the father of the young Antinous – has insisted that he and his co-stars were more than happy to oblige Nolan’s strict rules on the movie’s set.

“From what I understand – and I think quite rightly – Chris hates cell phones on set,” the former EastEnders star told BANG Showbiz, as reported by FemaleFirst.

“And I think that’s right because I’ve been on sets where, the moment ‘cut’ is called, actors pull out their cell phones and start scrolling or responding to messages. And I think it breaks the concentration. So there were no cell phones on set.”

He continued: “You were also there until the scene was done. In our particular case, we were standing on the side of a mountain with gale-force winds blasting across it, trying to perform the scene in those conditions.

“Between takes there was no, ‘Hey, take a seat. Here’s a green room for you guys, and something to warm you guys.’ There was nothing like that. And I really enjoyed it.”

Adam recalled: “Friends of mine who were part of Odysseus’ crew aboard the ship with him – I know Himesh Patel from EastEnders, and there were a bunch of others as well – they reported back that you’re on that ship, and you’re going to get the scene. And if you need to go to the restroom, that’s your problem.”

Back in 2020, after Anne Hathaway claimed that Nolan doesn’t allow chairs on his film sets, he clarified that this only related to “directors’ chairs clustered around the video monitor, allocated on the basis of hierarchy not physical need”.

However, he has since confirmed reports about actors not being allowed to wear Ugg boots on his sets.

“I want the actors to stay in the moment,” he claimed last month. “For me, the Ugg boots are a signifier of modernity, absurd though that is.”

Nolan added: “It’s like if someone’s eating a bag of chips off camera. There’s certain things that just remind you’re in the real world, as opposed to the world we’re trying to create for the actors.”