The surprising item Christopher Nolan banned from Odyssey
The surprising item Christopher Nolan banned from his sets — including "The Odyssey" and "Oppenheimer" — is UGG boots. Speaking with Gayle King on CBS Mornings, the director said the popular sheepskin footwear is a "signifier of modernity" that pulls actors out of the moment and the fictional worlds he wants to create.
Key Takeaways
- Christopher Nolan enforces a "no UGGs on set" rule on "The Odyssey" and previously on "Oppenheimer."
- He told Gayle King on CBS Mornings that UGGs signal modernity and take actors "out of reality."
- Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, and Emily Blunt have all described being called out for wearing the boots.
- Nolan compared the distraction to someone eating chips off-camera during a take.
- The ban fits his wider push for on-set authenticity over modern reminders.
Fans hunting celebrity breaking news got a lighthearted detail from Nolan's Monday CBS Mornings sit-down: the Oscar-winning filmmaker really does police footwear on his epic productions.
According to Page Six, the "no UGGs on set" policy applies to both his Oscar-winning "Oppenheimer" and the newly released "The Odyssey."
Why did Christopher Nolan ban UGGs from his film sets?
Nolan said he wants to "stay in the moment" and wants actors to do the same. For him, UGG boots are a "signifier of modernity."
He described how performers sometimes arrive in the "big, fluffy, comfy" sheepskin slippers, which "weirdly take you out of reality." The look, he argued, can jar more than a boom mic, a giant camera, or a full crew surrounding the scene.
"There are certain things that just remind you that you're in the real world as opposed to the world we're trying to create for the actors," Nolan explained. He likened the distraction to someone eating a bag of chips off-camera.
Still, he clarified that "UGGs are great" — just not while he is filming.
What have cast members said about Nolan's UGG ban?
Anne Hathaway told USA Today she once showed up on "The Odyssey" set in UGGs and Nolan looked down and said, "Nope!" Matt Damon joked that the British director "hates UGGs more than anything."
Emily Blunt earlier recalled a similar moment on "Oppenheimer," telling Stephen Colbert in January 2024 that Nolan "has such an issue with Ugg boots." After he stared at her footwear and told her to "Take those off," she joked that she later gifted him a pair.
How does the ban fit Nolan's approach to filmmaking?
The 55-year-old director is known for chasing authenticity, preferring remote locations and practical imagery over green-screen shortcuts. He has said CGI "always tends to feel a little safe," and that "something real on camera" often yields a better result.
"The Odyssey," shot entirely on high-resolution IMAX cameras, opened in theaters on July 17 and grossed $124.5 million domestically in its opening weekend — proof that Nolan's immersion-first habits still connect with audiences.