Robert Downey Jr. took on the role of Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s biographical thriller film, Oppenheimer. Lewis Strauss, the chairman of the US Atomic Energy Commission in the 1950s, played a pivotal role in the development of Nuclear Weapons. Oppenheimer is adapted from the book American Prometheus, exploring J. Robert Oppenheimer’s involvement in the Manhattan Project and his subsequent downfall following a 1954 security hearing.
The casting process was kept very discreet and actors including Downey Jr. initially didn’t know which character they would play. The Tropic Thunder actor was first handed the script printed in black on red paper during his visit to Nolan’s house. The Iron Man actor had a few interesting things to share about the Interstellar director.
Robert Downey Jr. Loved Working With Christopher Nolan
Earlier, Robert Downey Jr. picked Oppenheimer as the best film he has ever worked on, placing it above his MCU projects. The Sherlock Holmes actor admitted that he initially felt intimidated by Christopher Nolan. He compared the Inception director to legendary directors David Lean and Hitchcock, stating that there was a certain ‘mystique’ with Nolan.
Downey Jr. further explained that Cillian Murphy, after working on five projects with Nolan, didn’t experience the same intimidation. However, Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt did feel it. But later, as they started working together, The Soloist actor came to see Nolan as one of the least judgmental directors he has ever worked with.
The Avengers actor realized that for Nolan, it wasn’t about being in control, but rather achieving precision in every shot of the film. This revelation shifted the Dolittle actor’s perspective about the director.
Robert Downey Jr. Described Christopher Nolan As A ‘Really Good Parent’
Oppenheimer presented a completely new experience for Robert Downey Jr. The Judge actor attempted a lot of improv as any actor would while filming, but Nolan was all for precision and instructed the Due Date actor to stick to the script. The Kiss Kiss Bang Bang actor shared that he couldn’t even get upset with the Dark Knight director because Nolan aimed to draw out the best from his actors. The Chaplin actor told IMDB:
“He [Nolan] did say, ‘Robert, you seem to be doing a lot of improv out there. I– if you get scared out there, just float gently back to the text.’ And it was like– it wasn’t a Jedi mind trick. He wasn’t guffing me. Again, he’s kind of like a dad that you can’t have a beef with ’cause he’s actually just a really good parent. That was the most disconcerting of all the energies ’cause I’d had no previous experience with that.”
Oppenheimer hit theatres on July 21, 2023, and has grossed $668M so far against a budget of $100M. It is a critical and commercial success, becoming the seventh highest-grossing film of 2023, with critics praising the cast performances, including Downey Jr.’s, as well as Nolan’s screenplay.
Source: IMDB – YouTube
