Benny Safdie plays Agamemnon in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. While many movie fans know Safdie as the co-director of Uncut Gems and Good Time, he has steadily built an impressive acting career over the past several years. After appearing as Edward Teller in Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Safdie reunites with the acclaimed director for another major supporting role, this time portraying one of the most important figures in Greek mythology.
Agamemnon is the king of Mycenae and the commander of the Greek forces during the Trojan War. Although his role in Homer’s The Odyssey is much smaller than it is in The Iliad, he remains an important character whose legacy shapes many of the events surrounding Odysseus’ journey home. After his murder by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover Aegisthus, Agamemnon becomes a tragic figure whose fate serves as both a warning and a point of reflection for Odysseus as he struggles to return to Ithaca.
Safdie’s casting continues Nolan’s trend of bringing back trusted collaborators while pairing them with an ensemble filled with major Hollywood stars. His ability to portray intense, layered characters makes him a natural fit for Agamemnon, a ruler whose story is defined by victory, betrayal, and tragedy. Even if his screen time is limited, Agamemnon could become one of the film’s most memorable supporting performances, especially given Safdie’s growing reputation as one of Hollywood’s most compelling character actors.
READ MORE: The Odyssey (2026)
