Devyn Dalton served as Matt Damon’s stunt double on Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, stepping in for the film’s physically demanding sequences. So when Damon—a man who has been punched, thrown and set on fire by professional stunt performers—went on the Happy Sad Confused podcast and said Dalton has “the greatest arms” he’s ever seen, it wasn’t a throwaway compliment, but a backed professional opinion. (And a statement that turned into a viral moment almost overnight.)
At 4’6”, Dalton is a working stuntwoman and actor with more than 90 credits over 15 years, and behind the viral comment is a much bigger story. We caught up with Dalton to talk strength, rest and what it actually takes to stay stunt-ready. Here’s what she had to say.
Matt Damon credited you with ‘the greatest arms’ he’s ever seen. What does your strength-training actually look like to build and maintain that kind of physique?
“My training is pretty diverse because my job requires me to be strong, athletic and adaptable rather than just training for aesthetics. I love compound movements and calisthenics—pull-ups, push-ups, dips, presses and rows—and then I’ll add more targeted work for my shoulders, biceps and triceps. I also incorporate unilateral work, functional strength and conditioning.
But honestly, the biggest thing is consistency. I’ve been training for years, and martial arts, dance and stunt work all contribute to my physique too. I like feeling strong and capable, and the physical results are almost a by-product of training for performance. Having Matt give my arms that shout-out was pretty incredible, though. I don’t think my arms have ever received this much attention!”
You train across martial arts, fight choreography, dance and strength work. How does your recovery and skin-care routine hold up against that level of physical wear?
“Recovery has become increasingly important to me because I ask a lot of my body. I try to prioritize sleep, mobility, stretching, good nutrition and hydration. Some of my favorite recovery tools are the sauna, cold plunges and red light therapy. I also love fascia and musculoskeletal massage when I have access to it.
With my skin, I actually try to keep things fairly simple. My work can involve long days of heavy makeup, wigs, prosthetics, sweat, dirt and sometimes being outside in pretty extreme conditions, so when I’m not working, I like to give my skin a break. Cleansing everything off properly at the end of the day, using a toner and serum, moisturizing and staying hydrated are probably the biggest things for me.
I also really love natural and organic products. A lot of harsh products can be used on my skin for work, so when I’m off set, I try to strip things back and use gentler, more natural products. My skin and body go through enough for work—I don’t want my recovery routine creating more stress for either of them.”
Performance capture, stunt work and voice acting all ask something different of your body and face. Does your beauty or grooming routine change depending on which discipline you’re working in that day?
“Definitely. One of the interesting things about my career is that I can look completely different depending on the job. For performance capture, I might have tracking markers all over my face and be wearing a mocap suit, so beauty really isn’t the priority—movement and performance are. With stunt work, I need everything to be practical. I’m usually thinking much more about warming up my body and being physically prepared than what I look like.
Voice acting is almost the opposite because nobody sees me at all! I can show up incredibly comfortable and put all of my energy into the character and my voice.
Acting jobs can obviously involve more traditional hair and makeup, but I’ve learned not to be too precious about appearance. My job has had me covered in mud, fake blood, prosthetics, creature makeup and everything in between.
It can be easy to judge yourself when you see yourself on screen, but I really try to embrace it. I’m 35 now, and sometimes I’ll see my smile lines and think, ‘Gosh, I wish I could lose those.’ But then I think, ‘You know what? I love my smile way more.’
I’d like to embrace aging as it comes rather than be afraid of it. If you’re lucky, you get to grow old—so why not celebrate it? I want to take care of myself and feel my best, but I don’t want that to come at the expense of appreciating the life that shows up on my face.”
Being a woman in a male-dominated stunt industry, have you felt pressure around appearance or ‘toughness’ that’s different from what your male counterparts face, and how have you navigated that?
“There can definitely be a strange contradiction for women in this industry. You’re expected to be physically strong, fearless and capable, but there can still be expectations around femininity and appearance that men don’t necessarily experience in the same way.
For me, I’ve tried not to put myself into either box. I love being strong. I love martial arts, fighting, getting dirty and doing physically demanding work, but I also love being feminine, dressing up and taking care of myself. Those things don’t cancel each other out.
I think that’s part of why I’ve loved seeing the reaction to my physique recently. There was a time when women were often told not to lift too much because they might look ‘too muscular.’ I love seeing strength celebrated in women. You don’t have to make yourself smaller—physically or otherwise—to be feminine.”
What’s one ‘must’ in your self-care that keeps you camera- and stunt-ready?
“Movement. It might sound strange because my career is already so physical, but movement is also one of the biggest ways I take care of myself mentally. If I’ve had a long day, I’ll go for a walk, stretch, train, dance, do yoga or get outside. It doesn’t always have to be an intense workout.
I’ve learned over the years that being ‘stunt-ready’ isn’t just about being strong. It’s about keeping your body mobile, your mind clear and knowing when you need recovery instead of another hard training session.
And sleep is a big one. It’s probably the least glamorous beauty secret in the world, but when I’m sleeping well, hydrating, eating well and moving my body, everything is better—my skin, my energy, my training and my performance.
I’m totally guilty of staying up late sometimes for absolutely no reason! But it’s something I actively work on, especially when I’m filming. I really try to get my eight hours because with the physical demands of my job, sleep isn’t just about looking rested—it’s when my body actually gets the chance to recover.”
