Travis Scott Reflects on Nerves and Growth in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’

Travis Scott recently appeared on The Tonight Show to discuss his involvement in Christopher Nolan’s latest film, The Odyssey, which prominently features his song “When I’m Home” as its closing track. The appearance marked Scott’s role as a Greek bard recounting Odysseus’ exploits in the Trojan War, a creative choice Nolan made to evoke the oral storytelling traditions of ancient poetry, akin to rap.

During the interview, host Jimmy Fallon highlighted that this achievement makes Scott part of a film ranked No. 1 globally—a milestone he called “a completely different stratosphere.” He shared anecdotes about his high school theater teacher urging his mother to attend, a reaction now mirrored by industry professionals celebrating his work. “They’re like, ‘You finally did something good,’” Scott quipped, acknowledging the irony of past criticism.

The collaboration with Nolan dates back to their work on Tenet, where Scott contributed the score’s track “The Plan.” This time, Nolan invited him to act—a request that initially confused Scott, as he recalled, “My phone went off, and it just said ‘Chris.’ I thought maybe he wanted to go to a concert or something.” When Nolan asked if he’d consider acting in a movie, Scott hesitated, assuming it wasn’t meant for him personally.

Scott praised Nolan’s mentorship, admitting nervousness about joining an ensemble featuring Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson. “I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing,” he confessed, though he expressed gratitude for the support from the cast and crew. “Everybody made me feel comfortable. I was just glad to watch him work.”

Maintaining secrecy proved challenging, as Scott joked about the difficulty of convincing skeptics that he’d genuinely contributed to the film. He also shared that the idea for “When I’m Home” emerged only after Nolan had a cut of the film. He collaborated with composer Ludwig Göransson and producer James Blake to craft the track, which will be accompanied by a forthcoming music video directed by Scott.

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Nolan explained his casting decision in a prior interview, drawing parallels between rap’s improvisational flow and the oral transmission of ancient epics. Scott’s inclusion places him among artists like David Bowie (as Nikola Tesla in The Prestige) and Harry Styles (as Alex in Dunkirk), a lineage of musicians-turned-actors in Nolan’s projects.

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