It’s indeed hard to find a person on this entire planet who does not know Robert Downey Jr. Not just fans and his fellow stars are fond of him; even the filmmakers speak highly of him. After a brief break from the spotlight, the Iron Man star is all set to mark his comeback with the upcoming film Oppenheimer.
The film features Cillian Murphy in the lead role and is directed by renowned director Christopher Nolan. Nolan was very thrilled to work with Downey, as he had always wanted to collaborate with him.
Christopher Nolan finally collaborates with Robert Downey Jr.
After years of patience and perseverance, Oscar-winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan and Robert Downey Jr. have finally collaborated on the most anticipated film of this year, Oppehiemer. Nolan is known for hits like Interstellar, Inception, The Dark Knight, and many more. Downey, on his part, doesn’t need any introduction.
It’s not just a few Marvel fans who admire Downey; Nolan also looks forward to working with him. The filmmaker always wanted to work with the Marvel star, however, he didn’t get that chance until recently. During an interview, the director expressed his excitement to work with Downey and spoke highly of him. He said,
“I’ve always known since I first met him – however many years ago it is now, almost 20 years – that he is one of the great actors, not just of his generation but of all time. And I’ve been waiting for the project, and I know he has too, where we can collaborate with him as the lead, and I could put the most enormous weight – cinematic weight – on his shoulders, and watch him carry that burden. It was such a thrill to be able to call Cillian, and say, ‘This is it.’”
Indeed, Downey is a promising actor, and he has performed phenomenally well in the upcoming film Oppenheimer. Nolan himself admitted that he was startled to see his performance. The Dunkirk director said,
“Watching him lose himself in that performance, and completely lose himself in a character in this way, was just an incredible reminder of just what an amazing actor he is.”
Downey will be seen playing the role of Lewis Strauss in the film alongside Cillian Murphy, who is the lead protagonist of the film.
Robert Downey Jr.’s equation with Cillian Murphy
Like Christopher Nolan, Cillian Murphy will also be working with Robert Downey Jr. for the first time. The two talented actors got along well on the sets; however, there were instances when Downey was uncomfortable working with him.
Murphy was so engrossed in his character, J. Robert Oppenheimer, that it bothered Downey. In the film, Murphy plays the role of a theoretical physicist who is popularly known as the father of the atomic bomb. Talking about his experience of working with Murphy, Downey said,
“Even just by the time I was on set, seeing how Cillian had embodied this character, to the point where you go like, ‘I’m practically with the guy.’ You can’t help but feel a little bit iced out by it.”
However, the actor clarified that Murphy is very warm and welcoming, but sometimes it gets hard to distinguish between his character and his real self. The Iron Man actor said,
“Now, Cillian is so warm and nice and inviting. But then we’d roll, and I’d feel like he was looking through me like I didn’t exist. And I was like, ‘That sucks.’”
Oppenheimer is scheduled to mark its theatrical release on July 21, 2023.
Source: Showbiz Cheatsheet
