{"id":2519707,"date":"2026-07-27T22:22:59","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T22:22:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2519707"},"modified":"2026-07-27T22:22:59","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T22:22:59","slug":"im-a-4-foot-6-stuntwoman-then-i-got-the-call-to-double-matt-damon-in-the-odyssey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/im-a-4-foot-6-stuntwoman-then-i-got-the-call-to-double-matt-damon-in-the-odyssey\/","title":{"rendered":"I&#8217;m a 4-foot-6 stuntwoman. Then I got the call to double Matt Damon in &#8216;The Odyssey.&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\" data-body-type=\"bodyblocks\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Matt Damon has fought monsters, survived Mars and played everyone from Jason Bourne <\/em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:to Odysseus;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:1;pos:1;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;outcm:mb_qualified_link;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/movies\/article\/troy-walked-so-the-odyssey-could-run-now-the-brad-pitt-film-is-getting-a-second-life-190000457.html\" class=\"link\"><em>to Odysseus<\/em><\/a><em>. But when the Oscar winner was asked recently about filming Christopher Nolan&#8217;s<\/em> The Odyssey<em>, which <\/em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:continues to dominate the box office;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:2;pos:1;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/movies\/articles\/odyssey-earns-87m-second-weekend-164348654.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIebmgiKpXKg25LAT9_2KNXa-yV5Dh2UPZkpBQGhSJcz93JMBv-Ilw7hUUzmGgH_3_MV8peYMksHwXNdX7h1WWDpy6pwdXm5G0ibpbc21jmx9--Ii30y7dRaLK7yKQPBgs-LaYF4PlEZANO4HB4Z8sIkzl0Lp8XA3KTgC3qaRLpk\" class=\"link\"><em>continues to dominate the box office<\/em><\/a><em>, it wasn&#8217;t one of the movie&#8217;s epic action sequences that stuck with him. It was the woman who served as his stunt double.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>&#8220;When we did the force perspective stuff with the <\/em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Laestrygonians;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:3;pos:1;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/moviecritic\/comments\/1v2ich6\/who_are_the_giants_in_christopher_nolans_the\/\" class=\"link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Laestrygonians<\/em><\/a><em>\u2026 there were these stuntmen who were all 7 feet, and then they got stunt men who were under 5 feet,&#8221; Damon said on the <\/em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Happy Sad Confused ;elm:affiliate_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:4;pos:1;pkgt:horizontal-editorial;subsec:commlist;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;affiliate_link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;,&quot;yHasCommerce&quot;:true}\" href=\"https:\/\/shopping.yahoo.com\/rdlw?siteId=us-lifestyle&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=1d7610f2-5529-4ce1-8c2b-f75157f8d9c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;linkText=Happy+Sad+Confused&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL29wZW4uc3BvdGlmeS5jb20vZXBpc29kZS83QVZibDlZT0VVTndZZGt4QUVaUWt3IiwicmVxdWVzdElkIjoiNGM5YjUyMDQtM2E4MS00MDA3LWE3NjAtMzA2MmVkNDYzM2JiIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIxZDc2MTBmMi01NTI5LTRjZTEtOGMyYi1mNzUxNTdmOGQ5YzUiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3Blbi5zcG90aWZ5LmNvbS9lcGlzb2RlLzdBVmJsOVlPRVVOd1lka3hBRVpRa3cifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAX_LLFtQip_3HnclGt2jWugpyihhuk9ui0hX_qDiuvPs&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fepisode%2F7AVbl9YOEUNwYdkxAEZQkw&amp;refurl=entertainment-supernovaArticleRecsDedupe_ssr&amp;yMarket=us&amp;yLocale=en-us&amp;ga_measurement_id=G-B40QGCQW3G\" class=\"link rapid-with-clickid\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\" target=\"_blank\">Happy Sad Confused <\/a><em>podcast. Because Nolan prefers practical effects over CGI, the sequence relied on forced perspective, with stunt performers of different heights creating the illusion of towering giants. &#8220;My double was a woman, a female stunt performer who had the greatest arms I&#8217;ve ever seen.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>That shout-out instantly thrust Canadian stunt performer Devyn Dalton into the spotlight. The 34-year-old has spent years quietly helping bring blockbuster films to life, transforming herself into everything from apes through motion capture to one of Hollywood&#8217;s biggest leading men. While audiences may only now be learning her name, the viral moment was decades in the making.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>In an interview with Yahoo&#8217;s Taryn Ryder, Dalton reflects on the years of training that led to <\/em>The Odyssey<em>, what it was like meeting Damon and how she&#8217;s spent her career showing that strength comes in all sizes.<\/em><\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div style=\"max-height:none;overflow:visible\"><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\"><\/p>\n<p>Dalton (right, in costume) filled in for Damon for a crucial scene.<\/p>\n<p><\/span><span>(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Courtesy of Devyn Dalton, Universal Pictures\/Courtesy Everett Collection)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I&#8217;m 4-foot-6, and somehow I landed one of the biggest jobs of my career: doubling Matt Damon in <em>The Odyssey<\/em>. It didn&#8217;t happen overnight. It was years of training, persistence and proving that strength doesn&#8217;t come in just one size.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Then one interview changed everything.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Matt was talking about the film when he mentioned that I had &#8220;the greatest arms&#8221; he&#8217;d ever seen. My phone started blowing up at 4 in the morning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">At first, it was just friends tagging me in the clip. Then the interview requests started coming. I never expected this kind of attention, but it&#8217;s been incredibly humbling. The response has been so positive, and I think people genuinely love seeing a strong woman celebrated for being strong.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The funny part is that most people only heard about me because of my arms. They didn&#8217;t see the decades of work that came before them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia and started dancing when I was young. Dance eventually led me into theater, and when I was around 9 years old, I found a newspaper clipping advertising a talent search. I begged my mom to let me audition, and she did. I ended up signing with an agent and started working as a child actor in commercials and small television roles.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mx-auto my-6 max-w-[80%] text-center text-lg md:my-10 md:max-w-[500px] md:text-xl\">\n<blockquote class=\"relative\">\n<p class=\"font-semibold md:font-bold\">I remember thinking, &#8216;I want to show up and impress Matt Damon with my arms.&#8217;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">After high school, I booked work on the <em>Planet of the Apes<\/em> films, where I was introduced to motion capture. That experience completely changed my career. I fell in love with telling stories through movement. While working on those films, I met stunt performers who encouraged me to start training.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">What started with martial arts and fight choreography quickly became a career.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">One of the things I love most about stunt work is that you&#8217;re never finished learning. Every production asks something different of you. Every performer has another skill you can study. Every role pushes you to become stronger, more athletic or more believable. I&#8217;ve always loved that challenge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Eventually, all of those years of work led me to <em>The Odyssey<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">People often assume stunt performers audition the same way actors do, but many times, your audition is your reputation. Coordinators know your work. They know whether you&#8217;re reliable, whether you&#8217;re safe and whether you can physically do what&#8217;s being asked. Getting hired for this film was the result of years of building that trust.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The production itself was incredibly secretive. Like everyone else, I had to slowly piece together exactly what I was working on. That&#8217;s part of the magic of filmmaking, and I want to keep it that way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">What I can say is that when I found out what the role required, I wanted to be as prepared as possible.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I already train six or seven days a week. Fitness has always been part of my life, but I approached this differently. I worked with a trainer to dial in my nutrition, tracked my macros and shifted my workouts toward bodybuilding, with a particular focus on building my upper body.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I remember thinking, <em>I want to show up and impress Matt Damon with my arms<\/em>. Hearing him compliment them months later was surreal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Of course, this job was about much more than muscles. Doubling another actor means disappearing into their performance. You&#8217;re not trying to look like yourself. You&#8217;re studying the way they move, the way they carry themselves and the energy they bring to a character. For this role, I wanted every movement to feel powerful, confident and intentional.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I&#8217;m also very aware that people don&#8217;t always expect someone who looks like me to do this kind of work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Throughout my career, there have been moments when people looked at my size before they looked at my abilities. Early on, I sometimes felt like I had to prove myself a little more than everyone else. Eventually, though, I realized something important: The work speaks for itself.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I&#8217;ve spent years trying not to let anyone put me in a box. I never wanted my height to define what I could or couldn&#8217;t do. I wanted to be known for being dependable, hardworking and someone people trusted on set. That&#8217;s why this moment has been so emotional.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I&#8217;ve always believed in myself. But having someone like Matt publicly acknowledge my work \u2014 and having so many people celebrate it \u2014 feels like validation after years of quietly doing a job that audiences were never meant to notice.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mx-auto my-6 max-w-[80%] text-center text-lg md:my-10 md:max-w-[500px] md:text-xl\">\n<blockquote class=\"relative\">\n<p class=\"font-semibold md:font-bold\">I never wanted my height to define what I could or couldn&#8217;t do.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Matt was wonderful throughout the entire experience. He&#8217;s kind, humble and incredibly generous. He didn&#8217;t have to mention me at all, but he chose to shine a light on stunt performers and the work we do behind the scenes. I&#8217;ll always be grateful for that.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">When people watch a movie, they see the stars. What they don&#8217;t always see are the hundreds of artists, craftspeople and crew members working together to make those moments possible. Every single person matters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I hope people walk away from this story remembering that. But I also hope some young girl \u2014 especially one who&#8217;s ever felt underestimated because of how she looks \u2014 sees what&#8217;s possible.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">If my story reminds even one person that strength comes in all shapes and sizes, then this unexpected moment has become something even more meaningful than I ever imagined.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>This has been lightly edited for clarity and length.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Matt Damon has fought monsters, survived Mars and played everyone from Jason Bourne to Odysseus. But when the Oscar winner was asked recently about filming Christopher Nolan&#8217;s The Odyssey, which continues to dominate the box office, it wasn&#8217;t one of the movie&#8217;s epic action sequences that stuck with him. It was the woman who served [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2519708,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[367439,496112,476248,361096],"class_list":["post-2519707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-damon","tag-devyn-dalton","tag-stunt-performers","tag-the-odyssey"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Im-a-4-foot-6-stuntwoman-Then-I-got-the-call-to.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2519707","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2519707"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2519707\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2519709,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2519707\/revisions\/2519709"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2519708"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2519707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2519707"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2519707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}