Oppenheimer, the eagerly awaited autobiographical thriller starring Cillian Murphy as the title character, has finally arrived in theaters. After its initial showings, the film, which is directed by master craftsman Christopher Nolan, has gotten rave reviews from viewers. Oppenheimer is Murphy’s sixth film with filmmaker Christopher Nolan, following The Dark Knight Trilogy and Inception. The director recently spoke with the Los Angeles Times and gushed about his leading man and his flawless acting abilities.
Director Christopher Nolan talked in-depth with the Los Angeles Times about working with Cillian Murphy on their past movies as well as Oppenheimer. Curiously, the acclaimed director said that he wasn’t aware of the depth of Murphy’s portrayal of theoretical physicist Robert J. Oppenheimer in his ambitious film until he started watching its rushes on the editing suite.
The actor’s portrayal of the Father of the Atomic Bomb, Cillian Murphy, “became all-enveloping when I realized Cillian Murphy had so much more going on than what I saw on set,” remarked Nolan. Well, Christopher Nolan’s statements obviously hint at how effortless Murphy is as an actor and have heightened expectations for the highly awaited production.
Interestingly, Christopher Nolan noted how similar Cillian Murphy’s acting technique is to that of legendary actor Al Pacino’s performance. The director remembers working with Al Pacino on the psychological thriller Insomnia, which was released in 2002. Nolan claims that the seasoned actor was astounded by the intricate performance details when the movie was being made and that he recognized the same skill in Murphy while working with him, particularly in Oppenheimer.
“After a few takes, I went up to Al Pacino and gave him a note on what I wanted. But, he told me, ‘I’ve already done that. You can’t see it to the eye, but I’ve done it on the dailies.’ I looked for it and I was like, ‘Oh, my God,’ because there it was. Great film actors can do that, and that’s what I had with Cillian Murphy,” recalled the Oppenheimer director.
Al Pacino is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of our time, known for his incredible range and captivating performances in films like ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Scarface.’ To be compared to such a legend is not only a testament to Murphy’s immense talent but also an acknowledgment of his impact on the silver screen.
The Christopher Nolan film, based on the 2005 publication of the autobiography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin, stars Cillian Murphy as Robert J. Oppenheimer. Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, and other A-list actors play significant roles in the film.
Do you agree with Nolan’s comparison? Don’t forget to comment down below with your thoughts on this incredible praise.
