"I wanted to nod towards the idea that this story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap,” director says

Director Christopher Nolan is shedding light on his decision to cast rap superstar Travis Scott in his upcoming epic The Odyssey, saying that the musician’s presence was meant to reinforce the story’s roots in oral storytelling traditions similar to those of hip-hop.

“I cast him because I wanted to nod towards the idea that this story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap,” Nolan told Time of Scott’s inclusion in the film.

Speculation surrounding Scott’s role intensified earlier this year after a trailer for The Odyssey debuted, with fans pointing to a mysterious figure in the footage that appeared to look strikingly similar to the Grammy-nominated rapper. The film, which stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron, is already generating attention as the first feature-length movie shot entirely on IMAX cameras. It is scheduled for theatrical release on July 17.

During the interview, Nolan also reflected on how the massive success of his 2023 film Oppenheimer helped pave the way for the project. The Oscar-winning drama grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide and earned several Academy Awards, giving the filmmaker greater creative freedom. “That gave me options,” said Nolan. “And what had never really been done is a cinematic telling of The Odyssey with all of the capacity of a large-scale Hollywood studio production. It’s an odd gap in movie history.”

While Scott, who previously created a track for the soundtrack to Nolan’s 2020 film Tenet, is primarily known for his music career, he has steadily expanded his screen résumé in recent years. His film and television credits include Gully, Aggro Dr1ft, the documentary Look Mom I Can Fly, and appearances on Saturday Night Live and The Kardashians.

Scott also joins a small but notable list of musicians cast by Nolan over the years. David Bowie famously portrayed inventor Nikola Tesla in the 2006 film The Prestige, while Harry Styles took on the role of Alex in Dunkirk, marking one of the singer’s earliest major acting performances.