It was only a matter of time until Cillian Murphy stepped into a leading role for Christopher Nolan.
After first meeting 20 years ago for a “Batman Begins” screen test, Murphy has collaborated on multiple films with director Nolan, ranging from the “Dark Knight” trilogy to “Inception” and “Dunkirk,” which to date is one of the performances Murphy is “really proud of.” Now, Murphy is at the center of star-studded ensemble period piece “Oppenheimer” about the scientist who invented the atomic bomb.
“He’s so understated and self-deprecating and, in his very English manner, just said, ‘Listen, I’ve written this script, it’s about Oppenheimer. I’d like you to be my Oppenheimer.’ It was a great day,” Murphy told the Associated Press of how Nolan cast him in the eponymous role back in September 2020. “We have this long-standing understanding and trust and shorthand and respect. It felt like the right time to take on a bigger responsibility. And it just so happened that it was a [expletive] huge one.”
Murphy continued, “I have always said publicly and privately, to Chris, that if I’m available and you want me to be in a movie, I’m there. I don’t really care about the size of the part. But deep down, secretly, I was desperate to play a lead for him.”
The “Peaky Blinders” star added, “You realize this is a huge responsibility. [J. Robert Oppenheimer] was complicated and contradictory and so iconic. But you know you’re with one of the great directors of all time. I felt confident going into it with Chris. He’s had a profound impact on my life, creatively and professionally. He’s offered me very interesting roles over and I’ve found all of them really challenging. And I just love being on his sets.”
Murphy praised Nolan’s on-set practices, noting, “Any actor would want to be on a Chris Nolan set, just to see how it works and to witness his command of the language of film and the mechanics of film and how he’s able to use that broad canvas within the mainstream studio system to make these very challenging human stories.”
Plus, the “old fashioned approach” to marketing “Oppenheimer” has created a buzz of mystery around the epic film.
“The question will be how Chris presents it,” Murphy said. “I think people will be very surprised and wowed by what he does. Anything I say will just seem a bit lame as compared to seeing this in an IMAX theater. I’m really proud of the movie and I’m really proud of what Chris has achieved. This was, for sure, a special one, certainly because of the history with me and Chris. We were not walking around the set high-fiving, but it did feel special. It’s an event every time he releases a film, and rightly so. Whether I’m in them or not, I always go to see his movies.”
Universal Pictures opens “Oppenheimer” on July 21.
