The Moray spots where Matt Damon and Tom Holland have been filming The Odyssey
Hollywood actors Matt Damon and Tom Holland have been filming scenes for their upcoming movie The Odyssey in Scotland. Directed by Christopher Nolan, the film is based on the ancient Greek poem about Odysseus and his journey home after years at war.
Damon, 54, stars as Odysseus, with 29-year-old Holland playing his son, Telemachus. Filming locations include Morocco, Greece, Sicily, and notably the Moray Firth coast in Scotland.
The Moray Firth is known for its resident population of around 130 bottlenose dolphins, often seen near the shore. Harbour seals are also common in the area.
And there have also been occasional sightings of harbour porpoises, white-beaked dolphins, minke whales, pilot whales, and killer whales further out at sea.
On the southern shore of the Moray Firth, Culbin Forest stands on one of the largest sand dune systems in Britain. Beyond the trees lies the 7-kilometre Culbin Bar, the UK's best example of a large natural shingle spit.
The forest includes mature pine plantations supporting wildlife typical of native Caledonian forests, with species such as roe deer, red squirrels, badgers, and pine martens present.
Culbin is a large area of sandy beaches, salt marsh, and forestry east of Burghead, with a duck pond and wide views across the Firth. Filming has taken place there over several days, with a local car park closed for the duration.
The actors were seen filming in Burghead, a coastal town with a population of just under 2,000. The town has ancient origins, with a large Pictish fort dating back around 1,000 years.
Burghead is known for the Boxing Day Swim, an annual charity event, and the Burning of the Clavie, a traditional fire festival celebrated on January 11, according to the old Julian calendar.
From Burghead, Damon and Holland travelled by boat to Culbin Forest, where a car park was closed for filming.
The forest is popular with cyclists and horse riders and is home to diverse wildlife, including roe deer, red squirrels, badgers, pine martens, and a duck pond.
Additional filming took place in Buckie and near the ruins of Findlater Castle close to Cullen. Buckie is a small fishing town with a large harbour, marina, two golf courses, a leisure centre, and two outdoor bowling parks.
The area is known for its coastal scenery, wildlife, and nearby attractions such as Bow Fiddle Rock near Portknockie. Findlater Castle, a well-known ruin overlooking the Moray Firth, sits on a rocky outcrop and is a notable historical site.
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While in the area, the cast and crew dined at a local hotel, with Damon telling staff at The Seafield Arms in Cullen that their food was "the best [they'd] had on [their] journey around the world".
The blockbuster star also praised the "remarkable" workers and posed for pictures with them. The town's culinary speciality is Cullen Skink, a fish and vegetable soup which is known around the world.
In Inverness, filming included scenes involving the Draken Harald Hårfagre, described as the world's largest Viking ship built in modern times. The ship was moored in the Cromarty Firth.
While in the capital of the Highlands, Holland's girlfriend and co-star Zendaya popped into a local gelateria for an ice cream, posing for a pic with staff and telling them she'd be back with Tom.
Filming of The Odyssey has been ongoing for several weeks in the Moray Firth locations. The Odyssey is due to be released next July.
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