Photo: Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock and Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer
“And I think the most exciting thing for me was: it’s a completely unique world,” Pugh says of Tatlock and Oppenheimer’s relationship.
“Despite them meeting in these places, she really has nothing to do with the second chapter of what he decides to do.”
While Nolan’s film includes commendable performances portraying those closest to Oppenheimer, it is, at its heart, a first- person narrative centred around the man himself.
Nolan presented the script – which was also written in the first person – to Murphy, who he says is “one of the great actors of his generation”, and invited him to go on this journey with him.
“He has this incredible ability, the ability of a great actor to be empathetic with the audience, to allow them access to his feelings, to his thoughts,” says Nolan.
“And that was really the journey we were on.
“The first thing I told him is: I’m not looking for any kind of impersonation of the real life Oppenheimer. Use what works for you, use what helps you, gives you something to grab hold of in the preparation. But really, it’s an interpretation.
“The film is not a documentary. It’s his, it’s Cillian’s and my, everybody else’s, interpretation of what it would have been to be this man at this incredible time.”
“There’s no-one really making films like Chris, and the way he presents them,” echoes Murphy, who has worked with the director several times including on his Batman films, as well as Inception and Dunkirk.
“He’s an incredible writer, amazing with actors, an incredible visual filmmaker, and then the way he presupposes a level of intelligence in his audience. He never patronises his audience.
“So it was a gift, really. It’s always been a gift for me, every time I’ve worked with him.”
Oppenheimer was in UK cinemas from Friday, July 21.
42 | mccarthyholden.co.uk
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