John Leguizamo Explains His Method Approach to Playing Eumaeus in ‘The Odyssey’

This interview contains spoilers for “The Odyssey.” It has been lightly edited for clarity.

How do you feel about being a part of “The Odyssey”?

I feel incredible. I feel like my whole life, this is the highlight of my life, and I didn’t expect it to be this film, but it is. The writing is unbelievable. Everything’s so masterful. It’s Chris Nolan’s magnum opus, if I can be so bold and say that about his work.

Not only did you spend four hours a day in the makeup chair, but you’re the one who suggested that your character, Eumaeus, wear mismatched contacts. Why?

Chris wanted me to be sight-impaired, I think, because he wanted to do like a merging between Homer and Eumaeus, the most loyal character in Western literature. So, they got an expert in LA who paints and studied cataracts and painted the contacts.

They were going to make them both occluded. And I said, “I don’t know if I can function like that.” So, they made one completely occluded and the other one partially so I could barely see, but I could at least see enough not to fall all day long.

But I still couldn’t go places because we’re shooting on a top of a 900-foot cliff. Everything’s poisonous on top. But it looks spectacular. We were all safe, we were all safe. We had an incredible stunt crew.

But, the first day we’re doing the scene, they applaud, they wrap, they go for lunch, and I’m like, “Hello! Hi! Somebody come and get me!” I couldn’t go anywhere. I had to be walked everywhere — to the bathroom, to food, everything.

Were you ever worried that you might take a wrong turn?

Yes. That’s why I never moved. I didn’t move until somebody came and got me.

Given that your character was much older than you, was it jarring to see yourself looking so aged?

Because they put the contacts on first and then did the makeup, I couldn’t really see myself until I started seeing photos of myself. That’s when I was like, “Wow, this is horrific!”

Yeah, it is really unsettling to see yourself looking like you’re 100. Basically they squeezed my skin and put glue and it stays like that. So, my whole face is crunched up. Then they put these ginormous eye bags that they glue on and then age spots. They glue random hairs everywhere. It’s crazy.

And then the hair’s bleached. It takes two days, five hours each day to bleach my hair to stay like that because Chris and I don’t believe in wigs.

Wait a minute, you really bleached your hair white?

Yeah, yeah. And that was brutal. It did burn my eyebrows. I got a lot of burns. But it was worth it. I mean, it looks authentic. I look like a really old man.

While watching the movie, I thought there’s no way John Leguizamo is even close to being this old.

No, not that old. I’m old, but not that old.

Let’s talk about the dog, Argus, in “The Odyssey.” Apparently it’s an incredibly rare breed.

Yes. There’s only 75 dogs in the whole world. It’s a Portuguese Podengo. I call it “Portuguese p—-jo,” because he’s not the friendliest or the smartest dog in the world. But he’s cute and sweet and I was method with him all day long, petting him, hanging out with him. There were three (dogs). There was the older guy, the medium age guy — who could do some stunts because they’re not really trainable — and then the puppies.

I’ve heard the working with animals can be difficult.

Yeah. The rule is: Don’t work with children or animals. In theater it’s: Don’t work with water or children. It’s always children — I’m sorry — that are involved with this. (Laughs.)

When you get a gig like “The Odyssey,” I’m sure the first reaction is elation. But then I’m guessing the reality sets in that now you’ve actually got to deliver.

Well, you know the old Hollywood joke, right? How do you make an actor miserable? You give him a job. So that’s what happens and that’s legit, you know?

I mean, I’m there 12, 14 hours a day, not being able to see, not being able to access my phone, not being able to call anybody. I was learning how to be mindful and mediate, but after a month and a half, it was a little daunting.

What was the most difficult part of prepping to play Eumaeus? The mental part? The physical part?

It was a combination. I had the makeup, the being without sight all day long, but also the emotional toll of the character Eumaeus because I’m a method actor. So, I believe in experiencing the real emotions, not pretending.

So, when Eumaeus is going through a difficult moment where he feels like everything is collapsing — the whole world and his master is never coming back — he has a breakdown. So, I was getting myself into my own breakdown. But because your body doesn’t know the difference between imagination and real, you go through severe emotional breakdowns. So that was difficult.

But, Chris creates a beautiful set. It’s a real intimate set. He’s one of the only directors in the world who stands behind the camera still. That’s how it was when I started out and I think it’s an important place for a director to be there, to be with you.

So, you’re sharing something intimate, you feel like you’re really being taken care of as opposed to somebody who’s in the video village and not really seeing your eyes. There’s something about seeing each other’s eyes that makes you more present and makes the emotions more impactful.

You probably can’t answer this, but what are the chances that Christopher Nolan will make “The Iliad” next?

Oh, I don’t know. I don’t know. Chris is an artist. I don’t think he would go do “The Iliad.” You mean the prequel?

Yes.

I don’t know (laughs). It was such a daunting project. I mean, six months, six different countries. Poor Matt. Matt Damon is a beast. He’s a monster. To be in the water, being drowned, fighting, choreography, the working out, staying fit, not eating a carb for months and months. It’s intense.

We were in cold weather, he was in (the Trojan Horse) with 20 other actors. But it’s the first time you believed it, because they were so cramped in there.

I got to Morocco to meet Chris to do hair and makeup and all that consultation, and I go, “Where is he?” They said, “He’s in that ginormous wooden horse.” And I go, “Well, I don’t want to bother him.” And then here comes 20 actors, the cameraman, the IMAX camera, which is 400 pounds — people don’t understand how big that camera is and how difficult it is to shoot with an IMAX camera — then comes Chris. He’s in there. He won’t ask anything of you that he won’t do himself, which always is so inspiring.

This film is truly epic. You were amazing.

Oh, thank you.

This is really a film for a generation.

Yeah, I think it’s for cinema history.