Cillian Murphy says he would “get really into the detail” of J. Robert Oppenheimer every day on set

nme.com:

Cillian Murphy has said that he studied every small detail about J. Robert Oppenheimer in his portrayal of the father of the atomic bomb last summer.In a Q&A on Friday at the Santa Barbra International Film Festival, the actor spoke to festival director Robert Durling about his characterisation in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, saying he wanted to focus in particular on the small details of his character – especially with the film being shown on IMAX.Durling said he noted the cigarette stains on Murphy’s fingers during one scene, something that delighted Murphy.He explained (via Movie Maker): “I’m so glad you noticed that!

Our amazing makeup artist Luisa Abel — we did that every single day and I would get really into the detail. But then I was like, ‘No one’s ever gonna see this.’ I’m so glad you saw that!”He also went on to say how instead of doing a lot of emoting with the character, his portrayal focused on what Durling described as “a lot of withholding.”He continued: “I’ve always loved that sort of performance, where more is withheld than revealed,” Murphy replied. “Because I think it gives space for the audience then, in the performance.

That’s just a personal preference.”“The script kind of demanded that [too] because there was so much about his interior landscape, about what he was wrestling with and grappling with, and and then obviously when we cut to those kind of molecular-level images that Chris has created,” Murphy told Durling.Last month, Cillian Murphy shared his reaction to receiving his first ever Oscar nomination for his role in Oppenheimer.

Cillian will be up for the Oscar for Best Actor alongside Bradley Cooper, Colman Domingo, Paul Giamatti and Jeffrey Wright.