Robert Downey Jr.’s performance as Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer earned the actor major critical acclaim. Downey, who is known for his time as Tony Stark / Iron Man in the MCU, proved his acting brilliance with the role that won him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Downey recently appeared in an actors’ roundtable discussion about some of the best performances of the past year. During the roundtable, Downey opened up about joining the cast of Oppenheimer and working with director Christopher Nolan. However, the actor had a hilarious analogy for his experience of reading the movie’s script. Here is what Downey said about reading the script of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
Robert Downey Jr. Talks Being Cast In Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer
Following his Golden Globs win, actor Robert Downey Jr. appeared on The Hollywood Reporter’s Actors Roundtable, which also featured Paul Giamatti, Mark Ruffalo, Colman Domingo, Andrew Scott, and Jeffrey Wright. During the discussion, Downey was asked about why he chose to accept the role of Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
Downey stated that Nolan called him for the part and the actor visited the Inception director’s house to read the script. However, Downey had a hilarious reaction to the experience of reading Nolan’s script as the auteur is known for printing his scripts on red pages.
“He asked me to come over and read the script on red paper with black type, which was like doing sudoku while drowning. I read it and it was written in (the) first person. I was like this is this is masterful.”
Downey also explained that while he loved the script, he meditated on how he could identify with the character. The actor stated that he compared his insides to the outsides of the character he was supposed to play, in context with the period when the story is set, before accepting the part. Downey reportedly also took a pay cut to join the film.
Christopher Nolan Talked About His Reason For Casting Robert Downey Jr.
During the roundtable discussion, host Yvonne Orji quoted the director Christopher Nolan’s statement on the reasoning for casting the former Iron Man star in Oppenheimer. Orji used the statement to highlight how Downey had not played a role where he scummed to the character in a few years, hinting at his long stine as Iron Man in the MCU.
Nolan originally made the following statement during an interview with the Los Angeles Times:
“He’s one of our great actors, and though a generation of kids know what a great movie star he is, they’ve not seen his subtlety and brilliance. I wanted to get him to do something completely different, to lose himself in another human being.”
Also Read: Robert Downey Jr. Says He Would Be Serving Hard Time Behind Bars if He Wasn’t Acting in Hollywood
Nolan also added that directors are very aware of Downey’s immense talent and his energy that can punch through the screen, which often makes it difficult to find the right part for him. In response, Downey stated that he was happy to work with Nolan as the experience allowed him to regain his connection with a more purist approach to filmmaking.
Oppenheimer is currently available to rent on VOD platforms.
