If Christopher Nolan likes you, he will find you and cast you in the movie no matter where you are. Sounds crazy! but this is how legendary filmmaker Nolan works. His dedication is certainly at its peak when he wants something to be done, and perhaps that’s the reason behind his impeccable art.
Recently the director made a star-studded film Oppenheimer, and for the film, he once again collaborated with Kenneth Branagh. The duo has worked together in films like Dunkirk and Tenet. Previously, during an interview, Branagh shared a bizarre tale of Nolan’s passion for his work, and how he ended up being cast in his film Tenet.
Christopher Nolan’s weird way of casting
Christopher Nolan is renowned for his incredible work in the film industry. When people look forward to a legendary filmmaker, they somewhere miss out to realize his passion for his work. The director’s dedication to work has always been on peak and he dares to go beyond limits to make a masterpiece. Nolan has not just made some iconic movies, but he also has a keen eye for the perfect casting.
The director has worked with many great artists, including British actor Kenneth Branagh for his film Tenet. This wasn’t the first time they came together to deliver a masterpiece as they had also worked together in the World War II epic Dunkirk. However, the 2020 film Tenet is something Branagh will always remember.
Previously during an interview, Branagh shared how he ended up being cast in Nolan’s film. The actor appeared on a chat show The One Show, and shared how Nolan approached him for the film and successfully convinced him to be a part of it. The actor said,
“In this case, he rang up about six o’clock in the evening. He said, ‘Hello Ken, I have this project. Are you free? Might you be interested?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Well, that’s great, I’m coming to see you now.’ I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘I’ll see you in half an hour.’ I said, ‘How do you know where I am?’ He said, ‘I know exactly where you live, I’ll be with you in 30 minutes.’ The door knocks in 30 minutes – it’s just him with the script under his arm.”
Looking at Nolan’s utter dedication, it’s indeed hard to say no. Moreover, he isn’t just a good director but his convincing skills are commendable as well. Even Branagh agrees to it. The actor further said,
“He comes in and gives it to me, he says, ‘I’ll leave it for you to read and I’ll call tomorrow night, six o’clock.’ And I did and he did, and it all worked out. But you know that it’s going to be a very bespoke operation.”
Nolan being the epitome of perfection, indeed made a brilliant decision by casting Branagh in his film as it turned out to be a massive hit and grossed $365M at the box office.
How did Christopher Nolan know Kenneth Branagh’s location?
Christopher Nolan is known for making some mind-blowing movies, which are capable of blowing audiences’ minds quite literally. Nolan’s film Tenet is based on time travel, which is not possible as of now. However, Nolan’s ways of reaching out roughly resemble his movie.
It often seems like he is really inspired by his movies’ themes. However, he certainly didn’t time travel to reach Branagh as it is obvious that the great director must have multiple connections in the city which helped him to get Branagh’s exact location.
Tenet is available to rent on Apple TV.
Source: NME
