Spoilers for The Odyssey are in play here, so read on accordingly.
The Odyssey offers up a stellar cast, and all of them give excellent performances throughout Christopher Nolan’s epic book-to-screen adaptation. For me, that definitely applies to John Leguizamo, who plays the role of Eumaeus, Odysseus’ blind and faithful servant. One of Leguizamo’s scenes is honestly quite surprising, and that’s saying a lot due to this film including massive wars and a cyclops in a “dank” cave. With that, Leguizamo spoke to CinemaBlend and got real about knowing people would hate him for THAT moment.
A flashback sequence shows the origins of Odysseus’ loyal dog, Argos, who patiently awaits his master’s return to Ithaca in the present day. It’s established that as a puppy, Argos is part of a litter obtained by Odysseus and Eumaes. In a surprising move, Eumaes takes one puppy from the group and throws it off a cliff before Odysseus picks the pupper who eventually becomes Argos. It’s also implied that the others will suffer the same fate as the one thrown off the cliff seemingly as part of a method of breeding the strongest canines.
Before the film’s debut amid the 2026 movie schedule, CB spoke to Leguizamo alongside his co-star, Himesh Patel (who plays Eurylochus). The John Wick alum shared a funny response when asked how he thought audiences would react to the puppy scene:
Oh my God, I knew people were going to hate me for the rest of cinema history.
Some audience members have indeed expressed reservations about that cliff scene, with some taking to Reddit to express their displeasure. On the other hand, though, others have defended the puppy-throwing practice as accurate to that period of time. Regardless of how someone may feel about what happens during that moment, Leguizamo makes a good point that in time, his character is able to “redeem” himself. He does that by defending an aged Argos when he receives abuse from Penelope’s suitors. Leguizamo and Patel also share:
- John Leguizamo: I know that was rough. I was like, ‘Oh man,’ every time I took a puppy and dropped it off the edge, I mean, obviously….
- Himesh Patel: No puppies were actually harmed.
Yes, unsurprisingly, Nolan and co. took steps to ensure that none of the diminutive dogs were hurt as part of that scene. Leguizamo also offered this important detail:
There was a big blanket that caught every puppy gently, but it does look like I'm dropping him off the cliff and it's, you know, how do you come back from that?
Of course, that’s not even the most emotionally intense scene Leguizamo had to film while working on The Odyssey. Eumaeus has several cathartic scenes, and Leguizamo plays them to perfection. It’s no wonder his name has been coming up amid the positive reviews Nolan’s latest film has received. Leguizamo’s blind character is one of the film’s heartbeats, and he helps keep the sometimes fantastical story grounded. That’s a tough task, so the Menu alum deserves credit for his efforts.
I still think audiences aren’t going to forget that puppy scene, and more viewers might have less-than-positive thoughts as the box office-breaking Odyssey continues to draw crowds. Still, just remember that all the puppies involved in that scene lived to bark another day. So check out the film now whether you have already or just want to experience it again.
