“Just push me, Chris”: Cillian Murphy Demanded Christopher Nolan Push His Acting Skills to Superhuman Levels in Oppenheimer
As Oppenheimer makes it to theater screens, the cast has been doing promotional interviews. And giving intel on what it was like to be part of such an extraordinary project shepherded by Christopher Nolan. Cillian Murphy plays the titular role in the biographical thriller. Having worked with the Academy Award-nominated director before, Murphy describes this movie as his best work so far. He also tells why his best performances are when he works with Christopher Nolan.
Cillian Murphy Enhances His Acting Skills For Oppenheimer
Cillian Murphy is one of the finest actors Hollywood has to offer. And he believes playing J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, in the star-studded film Oppenheimer to be the performance of his career. He credits his director for pushing him to give beyond his best and taking his acting to a superhuman level. He tells in an interview how he talked with Christopher Nolan beforehand to ensure he expands the limits of his craft:
‘I said to him at the beginning of this, ‘Just push me, Chris. I do my best work when I’m pushed.’ And he’s the best director for that because he really, really, really pushes you.”
And it is because of this demand, that the Peaky Blinders actor was able to give a spine-chilling performance in his portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Christopher Nolan’s Evolution as a Filmmaker
Murphy and Nolan, prior to Oppenheimer, have worked in movies like Interstellar, The Dark Knight, and Dunkirk. But this is their first project together with Murphy as the lead. With so much history, it is safe to say that Murphy has witnessed Nolan’s journey as a director.
“I think he’s refining his vision as a filmmaker,” Murphy said in an interview.
“I think if you look at the progression of the films, I think this may be his magnum opus. The actor also touched on his own professional growth, saying he still cherishes every opportunity to collaborate with Nolan. “I’ve gone off and made lots of other work, but I love coming back to work with Chris. There is no set that runs as smoothly and as calmly, and as efficiently as a Chris Nolan set. I’ve never been on a set like that. Everyone is laser-focused on their work.”
Source: Slash Film
