John Leguizamo reveals intense preparation for 'The Odyssey' role
The veteran actor explains how his commitment to authenticity made filming the movie especially challenging
John Leguizamo has revealed the extraordinary lengths he went to in order to portray his character in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, saying he was left nearly blind during filming.
The actor, who plays the sight-impaired shepherd Eumaeus in the epic, explained that he wore opaque contact lenses to make his performance feel as authentic as possible.
Speaking to BFI, Leguizamo said the special lenses prevented him from seeing properly both on and off set.
"My guy Eumaeus is sight-impaired, so they gave me contacts that were opaque, so I couldn't actually see," he said.
The experience proved so immersive that he needed assistance with everyday tasks while wearing the lenses.
"I had to be guided to eat, go to the bathroom, whatever," he recalled.
To further prepare for the role, Leguizamo also studied the behaviour of a legally blind friend to better understand how to portray the character.
"I have a friend who's legally blind, and I studied her, and that's what I incorporated into this character to help me be as real as possible," he explained.
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has opened to a strong start at the box office, earning $51 million on its opening day.
The Greek epic is projected to surpass $120 million during its opening weekend despite carrying a reported production budget of $250 million.
The film, featuring a star-studded ensemble cast, is now playing in theaters.
