Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy have been working together since 2005’s Batman Begins, and even when the actor appeared in other projects helmed by the great filmmaker, he was always a supporting cast. In 2023, Murphy finally landed his first-ever lead role in a Nolan movie.
Oppenheimer is the sixth collaboration between Nolan and Murphy, where the latter transformed himself into the character of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb.
Cillian Murphy Received The Sweetest Message From Oppenheimer Director
During an interview with GQ, Irish actor Cillian Murphy revealed that Christopher Nolan personally delivered to him the script for Oppenheimer. From Los Angeles, the director flew all the way to Dublin.
“Part of it has to do with keeping the story secret before it goes out. But part of it has to do with tradition. They’ve always done it this way, so why stop now? It does add a ritual to it, which I really appreciate. It suits me.”
They met at a hotel where Nolan handed the script to Murphy and left the room to give the actor enough time to peruse the paper. He admitted to accepting the job even before knowing what was written in the script.
“So, like, it’s been his mom who’s delivered the script to me before. Or his brother, he’ll go away and come back in three hours… I always say, ‘Chris, whatever it is, it’s a yes.’ But this one was different because I had no idea, there was no warning.”
For the first time, Murphy became the star of Nolan’s magnum opus. In fact, the director left a really sweet note on the page of Oppenheimer, and it reads: “Dearest Cillian. Finally, a chance to see you lead… Love, Chris.”
Christopher Nolan left a note on Cillian Murphy's #Oppenheimer script
“Dearest Cillian. Finally, a chance to see you lead… Love, Chris"
(via @60Minutes) pic.twitter.com/zKeGMGx1F5
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) February 19, 2024
In his interview with 60 Minutes via CBS News, Murphy confessed that every time he agrees to work with Nolan, it always turns out phenomenal:
“It’s always paid off for me, you know, in every film that I worked with him on.”
The role required tremendous effort from Murphy, who lost 28 pounds to get the body frame as well as studied Oppenheimer’s lectures. There was also a scene where he had to give a lecture in Dutch, and he learned 30,000 words of Dutch over a three-day weekend.
Indeed, accepting the job and coming out of it with so many lessons was the most rewarding part for the actor.
Cillian Murphy Was Desperate To Star In A Christopher Nolan Movie
Cillian Murphy once revealed to The Associated Press that he desperately wanted to star in Christopher Nolan’s movies no matter what role he plays. The actor admitted that after the call he got, he hung up in disbelief.
“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.”
Nolan’s little note definitely sent Murphy an overwhelming emotion because after all these years working together, they finally reunited, and he got his ultimate wish – to become the lead star in a Christopher Nolan masterpiece.
