The war of blockbusters is underway Oppenheimer And Barbie Hit theaters this weekend, to critical acclaim and a big box office opening. Of the two dueling films, however, it is clear that Christopher NolanThe biographical epic is a darker story, as it tells the story of the American physicist and the father of the atomic bomb. J. Robert Oppenheimer As written in Martin K. Sherwin And chicken birdThe best-selling novel of American Prometheus. While the ethics of creating one of the most devastating weapons in history and its impact on humanity is a heavy topic to explore, Cillian Murphy Tell Collider’s Steve Weintraub—before the SAG-AFTRA strike—that the listening sequence was the most emotional for him while filming.
Murphy revealed that the hearing took two weeks to film and stands as his most challenging sequence of all time. OppenheimerA delicious three hour running time. In the story of Oppenheimer’s life, his security hearing was an important event not only for him, but for the larger scientific community because the government he had served for many years turned him in for his ties to the Communists. The controversial decision to strip him of his Q clearance and end his public life as a trusted scientist and government adviser sent a clear message to others in his field to fall in line. On a personal level, it was a poignant moment for Oppenheimer as some of his colleagues testified against him.
With all the talented actors involved, the breathtaking sets, and the emotional gravity of a man’s entire career in tatters, Murphy called hearing his favorite part of filming. Oppenheimersaid:
“To be honest with you, they’re all like that. (Laughs) But the part of the movie that I like to work on the most is the part in the room, in 2022, when we’re all in the hearing. We shot in this tiny little room, there were no movable walls or anything, it was just all of us in there. Most of this, Jay played a lot. Son Clarke and everyone, would come in and do their parts. I found the feeling intense and heavy, but in a bright way, it was really challenging. So, that’s my favorite movie. The ultimate in shooting.
Nolan explored the inner workings of the titular scientist with Oppenheimer
Although Murphy portrayed Oppenheimer in the film, it was Nolan who looked into the scientist’s mind during a pivotal moment in his life when writing the film. He previously said that he wrote the entire story in the first person from Oppenheimer’s point of view to put the audience in his shoes. “This is about how you experience him – you don’t judge him,” he explained. “You’re facing these intractable ethical issues with him.” In terms of hearing, it only makes things more heartbreaking as the audience gets to experience the sight of a man losing everything he’s worked for.
The result is something that some people, including Ms. Murphy Bennie Safdie, called Nolan’s best film with a heavy focus on practicality as it tells the story of a scientist. The star cast certainly helps as well with Murphy and Safdie joining in Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Jack Quaid, Josh Hartnett, Rami Malek, Gary Oldman, Kenneth Branagh, Alden Ehrenreich, Dane DeHaanAnd David Dastmalchian among others.
Oppenheimer In theaters now. Check out our full interview with Murphy below:
