Ralph Fiennes, the Oscar-winning actor, showcases a remarkable physical transformation as Odysseus in his new film, The Return. To embody the Greek war hero, Fiennes trained rigorously with a personal trainer for five months, including a demanding 10-week program of running and weightlifting before filming began.
Director Uberto Pasolini had a clear vision for Fiennes’ physique, avoiding a bulky, gym-built look. “Uberto didn’t want a modern, pumped-up body,” Fiennes told The Guardian, humorously noting he aimed to resemble “a bit of old rope.” His gym progress photos, shared on X, went viral following the film’s release.
The role includes nude scenes, which Fiennes said were integral to portraying Odysseus authentically. “The script called for nakedness, like in The Odyssey when he sheds his rags,” he explained at a London Q&A. “I needed a body that looked believable—someone who’s fought, sailed, swum, and barely eaten.”
Pasolini initially doubted Fiennes’ intense regimen would deliver the weathered look he sought. “I worried all the protein and exercise would make him look too polished, not like a lived-in, consumed body,” the director admitted to The Guardian. “There were no gyms in ancient Greece.”
The Return reunites Fiennes with Juliette Binoche, marking their third collaboration after The English Patient (1996) and Wuthering Heights (1992).