Anne Hathaway’s Oscar Path for ‘The Odyssey’ Just Got a Lot Clearer

Awards season rarely waits for the fall festivals to begin. Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey‘ opened to a massive box office haul and an avalanche of critical praise, which put it at the front of the Oscar race months early. Since then, one question has dominated awards conversations more than any other.

That question was where Universal would place Anne Hathaway. She plays Penelope, wife of Odysseus (Matt Damon) and mother of Telemachus (Tom Holland), who fends off suitors in her husband’s absence. Because the film’s story centers on Odysseus, the role was a classic lead-or-supporting puzzle.

Now there’s an answer. Variety reports exclusively that Hathaway will campaign in the Supporting Actress category for ‘The Odyssey.’ It settles a debate that had been running since the summer, when Universal said no category decision had been made.

The choice carries real strategic weight. A lead campaign would have made Hathaway the first Lead Actress contender from a Nolan film. Variety’s own analysis, though, leaned toward supporting as the safer route to a nomination, noting the risk that a role perceived as supporting can miss out when campaigned in lead.

That risk has burned strong contenders before. Richard Gere in ‘Chicago’ and Chase Infiniti in ‘One Battle After Another’ both missed out in a key category despite their films winning Best Picture. Supporting sidesteps that problem, especially with no category-fraud debate hanging over Hathaway’s performance either way.

The final trailer for Christopher Nolan's ‘THE ODYSSEY’ has been released.

In theaters on July 17. pic.twitter.com/xn42TcX4aG

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 1, 2026

Hathaway also has history on her side. She already won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for ‘Les Misérables’ in 2012, so a win here would give her a second. Her year has been busy, too, with ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2,’ ‘Mother Mary,’ ‘The End of Oak Street’ and ‘Verity’ all either out or on the way.

The move does complicate things for another contender. Samantha Morton’s Circe has drawn some of the film’s loudest raves, and Variety noted that Hathaway’s placement could help or hurt her chances. Putting two heavyweight performances in the same category means voters may have to choose between them.

Universal’s larger goal is clear. The studio is expected to mount an aggressive awards campaign, hoping to deliver Nolan a second best picture and best director win just three years after ‘Oppenheimer.’ Variety’s current projection shows a path that tops out at 17 nominations.

Nolan has historically avoided awards strategy conversations until well after a film opens. That makes the timing of this announcement notable, since formal category discussions were expected to begin later this fall. Universal had until fall festival season to decide, and it appears it has done so.

The reaction online has been lively, with fans debating whether Hathaway’s role is truly supporting and what it means for Morton. That conversation is only going to grow. With the season still ahead, Hathaway’s supporting push turns one of the earliest Oscar questions of the year into an intriguing race.

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