Christopher Nolan Gave Gary Oldman “Probably… 2 Notes” in 7 Years While Filming The Dark Knight Trilogy
Legendary actor Gary Oldman recently revealed he only received about two directing notes from filmmaker Christopher Nolan over the course of making Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises. Oldman portrayed Commissioner Jim Gordon in the critically and commercially successful Batman trilogy. Known for his hands-off approach, Nolan evidently gave Oldman substantial creative freedom to interpret the role of Gordon. According to Oldman, over seven years playing the character, he only recalls Nolan giving him notes on one particular scene.
What Was the Rare Piece of Direction Christopher Nolan Gave to Gary Oldman?
In an appearance on Happy Sad Confused, legendary actor Gary Oldman revealed that over the course of making the critically acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy, director Christopher Nolan only gave him approximately “two notes” while filming. Oldman portrayed Commissioner Jim Gordon in Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises. Discussing Nolan’s famously hands-off directing style, Oldman stated:
“I’ll give you an example of a really fantastic piece of direction. I did seven years for Chris Nolan on the three Batmans. Chris is not a big notegiver, he does leave you alone. He expects you to do your work, come in, and, ‘You do your work, I’m gonna do my work,’ so he does tend to leave you alone.”
Elaborating on the minimal guidance he received from Christopher Nolan, Oldman revealed:
“I did a scene once, in Batman, and he came up to me and it was probably one of two notes he ever gave me in seven years, and he came up to me and he said, ‘Let’s do that one more time. There’s more at stake.’ And I went, ‘Yep, got it, all right, let’s do one more, I know what you mean.'”
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Oldman appreciated the succinct note, allowing him to interpret the adjusted stakes and intensity for the unspecified scene. This level of creative autonomy seems indicative of Nolan’s preferred directorial process, clearly yielding fruitful results.
How Did Gary Oldman End Up Portraying Gordon in the Trilogy?
Interestingly, Oldman also revealed that he was originally approached to play the villain Scarecrow in Batman Begins, stating:
“I’ve got a feeling it was Scarecrow. And that was about the time when I was sort of thinking ‘I’ve had enough of this.’ And I think it was Doug, my manager, said, or suggested to Chris [Nolan], ‘What about Jim Gordon?’ and to his credit, Chris…’Hmm, that’s interesting.’ And we met, and that’s how it sort of came about.”
Fortunately, Nolan’s team had the foresight to suggest Oldman for the role of Commissioner Gordon instead. This proved an inspired casting decision, allowing Oldman to bring nuance and humanity to Batman’s ally in the police department.
Christopher Nolan’s hands-off directorial approach clearly resonates with actors, as exemplified by his many repeat collaborators. And Gary Oldman’s powerful yet understated performance remains an integral part of the Dark Knight trilogy’s legacy.
