Cillian Murphy ‘Was Desperate’ to Be Christopher Nolan’s Lead in ‘Oppenheimer’ After Five Movies as a Supporting Actor: ‘It’s a Huge Responsibility’
variety.comZack Sharf Digital News Director Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy’s working relationship spans nearly 20 years and counting as the filmmaker has directed the “Peaky Blinders” favorite in six movies: Three Batman films, “Inception,” “Dunkirk” and “Oppenheimer.” Notably, however, the upcoming atomic bomb drama marks Murphy’s first time headlining a Nolan picture in the lead role.
Murphy stars as theoretical physicist and “father of the atomic bomb” J. Robert Oppenheimer. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, the actor admitted he “was desperate” to lead a Nolan movie. “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,” Murphy said. “But deep down, secretly, I was desperate to play a lead for him.” Murphy landed the lead role in “Oppenheimer” via a cold-call offer from Nolan. “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,’” Murphy said. “It was a great day… We have this long-standing understanding and trust and shorthand and respect.
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