Himesh Patel has shared new details about the practical filmmaking behind the Cyclops sequence in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.

Patel, who portrays Odysseus’ second-in-command Eurylochus, said the sequence was filmed inside Nestor’s Cave in Greece rather than being recreated entirely on a studio soundstage.

The actor described the location as an extraordinary natural environment that gave the cast and crew something physical and unpredictable to work with during production.

The sequence centers on Odysseus and his men entering the home of the Cyclops Polyphemus, one of the most dangerous encounters from Homer’s epic.

Nolan’s production combined real international locations, large physical sets, practical effects, and new IMAX film technology to bring the mythological journey to the screen.

Matt Damon leads the film as Odysseus alongside Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, and Patel.

The Odyssey is now playing in theaters.