Tom Conti has some of the most tremendous acting chops in Hollywood’s entertainment industry, and he recently reminded fans about the same through his collaboration with Christopher Nolan for the recent epic blockbuster, Oppenheimer. Starring alongside Cillian Murphy in the movie, Conti was seen giving one of his best performances to date in the persona of the remarkably genius historical physicist, Albert Einstein.
Yet as perfect as his performance was in the film, The Quick and the Dead star didn’t quite enjoy shooting for the movie as he felt that having to adapt himself to Einstein’s general appearance completely ‘greatly diminished’ his life.
Tom Conti Didn’t Quite Enjoy Undertaking Albert Einstein’s Appearance
Soon after filmmaker Christopher Nolan and producer Emma Thomas got Tom Conti onboard to play Albert Einstein in Oppenheimer, the actor started changing his appearance to that of the genius physicist. And the one person greatly thrilled about it was John Papsidera, the casting director.
As he shared in the book Unleashing Oppenheimer: Inside Christopher Nolan’s Explosive Atomic-Age Thriller:
“Before I knew it, Tom [Conti] was already growing a mustache and his hair out and sending pictures to Chris[topher Nolan] of how it was going,” said Papsidera. “I was thrilled.”
However, Conti wasn’t as thrilled about it as everybody else. In fact, if anything, he felt that undertaking Einstein’s physical appearance ‘greatly diminished’ his life!
“That was the worst part about this whole thing because I hate hair that long and can’t stand having a mustache,” Conti said. “I mean, you can’t eat soup, spaghetti, anything like that. Life is greatly diminished with this hirsute appearance.”
Regardless, that didn’t stop Tom Conti from giving one of his most immaculate performances for the big screen to date in Oppenheimer–something that will take a long time for fans to completely get over!
Christopher Nolan Felt Tom Conti Has An ‘Avuncular Quality’ Like Einstein
In the book, Christopher Nolan has also shared why he chose Tom Conti in the first play to star as Albert Einstein aka Cillian Murphy‘s co-star in Oppenheimer: because he bore an ‘uncanny resemblance’ to the physicist in his later years along with sharing an ‘avuncular quality’ with the genius.
As per Unleashing Oppenheimer: Inside Christopher Nolan’s Explosive Atomic-Age Thriller:
“[Tom Conti is] a really wonderful actor who also bears a pretty uncanny resemblance to Einstein in later years,” said Nolan. “And I think that what Tom shares as a performer with the old Einstein is this very avuncular quality. This is a man who understands everything, but has a very, very positive and reassuring aspect to his demeanor, which I don’t think Oppenheimer shared.”
Well, by doing this, Christopher Nolan once again just proved his perfect casting decisions by getting Tom Conti on board for Oppenheimer as the most perfect portrayer of Einstein there could ever be!
