Christopher Nolan, the visionary director, recently took home his first ever Academy Award after being nominated eight times. His movie Oppenheimer reigned the biggest night in cinema by bagging seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor. Cillian Murphy, who played the lead role for the first time in Nolan’s movie, became the first Irish-born winner of the Best Actor award.
Robert Downey Jr., the Iron Man actor who was previously nominated at the Oscars twice for his role in 1992’s Chaplin and 2008’s Tropic Thunder, also finally kissed the coveted award. After winning all the major awards like the Golden Globes, BAFTA, and SAG Award, he was naturally the most favorite to win this year’s Oscar.
Nolan, whose films garnered attention from the movie buff ever since its announcement, has some strict rules for his cast and crew on the set. He believes following those rules can bring optimum results.
Robert Downey Jr. Cites One Particular Rule That Everyone Must Follow on Christopher Nolan’s Sets
Apart from being recognized for his unique direction, Christopher Nolan is also known for some strict set of rules to be followed by the actors and crew. Beyond the strict bathroom rules, there is one that both Robert Downey Jr. and Anna Hathaway mentioned in their interviews. RDJ spilled the bean and stated one lesser-known fact about Nolan’s distinctive way of approach on sets.
Speaking with former Marvel costar Mark Ruffalo for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, Downey Jr. said that Nolan follows a no-chair policy on sets.
“With Nolan, very much unlike Yorgos, but also effective, we were doing screen tests on IMAX, which is crazy,” Downey said. “You would go back and sit in your set chair — no, you wouldn’t, because there were no set chairs!“
“It was very spartan, like 100 people making a watch every day,” he recalled.
Downey added: “You kind of feel like you’re being stripped of your armor, which he does intentionally. It just creates a different vibe.”
Before him, it was Anna Hathaway who during another Actors on Actors talk, stated that Nolan “doesn’t allow chairs, and his reasoning is, if you have chairs, people will sit, and if they’re sitting, they’re not working.”
Apart from this no-chair policy, Nolan also doesn’t let the cast and crew keep mobile phones while being on set. He thinks it serves as a distraction to their concentration.
Christopher Nolan Has Not Actually Banned Chair From Set
It sparked quite a discussion when Anna Hathaway mentioned this no-chair policy. And later, when Robert Downey Jr. reiterated the same thing, it became the talk of the town. But Nolan’s team clarified that it is not like what has been said.
Nolan’s spokesperson released a statement categorically quashing the claim. He said:
“For the record, the only things banned from [Christopher Nolan’s] sets are cell phones (not always successfully) and smoking (very successfully),” the spokesperson told IndieWire in a statement.
“The chairs Anne was referring to are the directors chairs clustered around the video monitor, allocated on the basis of hierarchy, not physical need. Chris chooses not to use his but has never banned chairs from the set.”
“Cast and crew can sit wherever and whenever they need and frequently do.“
The Dark Knight trilogy and Tenet director who already showed the world what he is capable of did his hands down career best in Oppenheimer is someone who does not like public recognition. According to Downey, Nolan, the mastermind behind Oppenheimer, is now a victim of his success.
