Christopher Nolan Hasn't Said Much Of His Relationship With Cillian Murphy, But He Revealed A Key Re

Highlights

• Cillian Murphy's recognition as Best Male Actor at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards was a result of his longstanding partnership with director Christopher Nolan.
• Murphy and Nolan have a unique and consistent cinematic bond, with Murphy expressing his unwavering support and commitment to working with Nolan.
• Nolan admires Murphy's dedication to his craft and his ability to stay true to his authentic self despite rising fame. Murphy also greatly values Nolan's work and enjoys watching his films as an audience member.

Cillian Murphy’s recognition as Best Male Actor at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards was yet another by-product of his unique and long-lasting relationship with director Christopher Nolan. In the realm of inseparable actor/director duos, Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio have established a formidable alliance. Similarly, Robert Rodriguez and Danny Trejo’s partnership began quietly, but has since become a hallmark of Rodriguez’s film-making.

Cillian Murphy is best known for his starring role in the BBC One period drama Peaky Blinders. Long before this commanding performance, however, he was already a force on both stage and screen. His versatile acting prowess was evident as early as the 1990s, when he began his career on stage. Nolan, celebrated for his innovative work in big screen productions like The Prestige and Interstellar, has repeatedly cast Murphy, utilizing his acting skills in films ranging from Inception, to Dunkirk, and The Dark Knight Rises franchise.

The Real Reason Christopher Nolan Keeps Casting Cillian Murphy In His Movies

It was love at first sight when Christopher Nolan first saw a picture Cillian Murphy with his "crazy eyes."

Together, Murphy and Nolan have forged a cinematic bond that is unique in its consistency and depth. The actor has actually been vocal about their partnership, once saying, “I’ll always turn up for Chris, whatever the size of the part [in a movie]. Chris will call me up and I’m there.”

Christopher Nolan Credits Cillian Murphy For Keeping His Process The Same Despite His Success

Cillian Murphy’s Golden Globe triumph in January 2024 was the result of his performance in the acclaimed Christopher Nolan film Oppenheimer. This was the sixth collaboration between the pair. And while there is not concrete evidence of a strong personal relationship between them, it is unlikely they would work together so often without getting along.

Nolan has openly expressed his admiration for Murphy's dedication to his craft. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he highlighted the actor’s commitment to challenging himself with new roles. He also commended him for maintaining his authenticity despite his rising fame.

Nolan stated, “He hasn’t let success change him or get in the way of the truth of this process in any way.”

Cillian Murphy Got Jacked For Peaky Blinders And Emaciated For Oppenheimer, Here's The Truth About His Strange Diet And Workout Routine

Cillian Murphy has changed his body several times thanks to a change in his eating and working out for both Oppenheimer and Peaky Blinders.

On the other side, Murphy’s admiration for Nolan has always been equally profound. One of the director’s famous films that did not feature him was Interstellar. Speaking about the movie, Murphy said, “It just had a big impact on me. It broke my heart.” His appreciation for Nolan’s work extends beyond their professional relationship, as he enjoys the films from an audience perspective, free from the self-critique that comes with watching his own performances.

How Did Christopher Nolan Cast Cillian Murphy In Oppenheimer?

Despite having worked with Christopher Nolan on multiple occasions, Cillian Murphy’s transformation into the titular character in Oppenheimer was the first time he did so in a leading role. This significant casting choice was initiated in an unconventional manner, further emphasizing the unique dynamics of Murphy’s relationship with Nolan. The Peaky Blinders star did not have to audition for the role, as he was the director’s first choice for it.

Initial contact for the part, however, did not come directly from Nolan himself. Rather, it was his wife, Emma Thomas, who is also a producer, who reached out to Murphy at his family home in Monkstown, Dublin. The actor recalled the moment vividly, describing Nolan—known for his aversion to modern tech including telephones, emails, and computers—as “the most analogue individual you could possibly encounter.”

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That counted for little, though, when he finally laid his eyes on the script. “I think it’s the best script I ever read,” he told Rolling Stone in a feature titled The Quiet Passion of Cillian Murphy. Nolan penned the entire screenplay in the first person. “He wanted it to be solely from Oppenheimer’s perspective,” continued Murphy. “And I think the film is sensational. As a person who loves films—I’m not saying it ’cos I’m in the f***ing thing, I hate looking at myself—but as a lover of film, as a cinephile, I’m a Chris Nolan fan.”

How Cillian Murphy Responded To Being Cast In Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer

Speaking with Collider, Cillian Murphy expressed his astonishment at being chosen by Christopher Nolan for the part of the theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, dubbed the “father of the atomic bomb.” The Irishman has consistently communicated, both publicly and directly to Nolan, his eagerness to participate in any project the filmmaker is creating, stating that the size of the role is irrelevant to him.

Every Christopher Nolan Film Featuring Cillian Murphy

However, after playing the supporting role in multiple previous films by Nolan, Murphy admitted that he also harbored a deep-seated desire to take on a more substantial part. “Deep down, secretly, I was desperate to play a lead for him,” he admitted. This longing was finally satiated with his award-winning performance in Oppenheimer, in a production that was described by critics as “one of the best films of the 21st century.”

When accepting his Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, Murphy once again paid homage to his boss: “I knew the first time I walked on a Christopher Nolan set that it was different. I could tell by the level of rigor, the level of focus, the level of dedication, the complete lack of any seating options for actors that I was in the hands of the visionary director and master.”

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