Matt Damon thanks his “Oppenheimer” co-star Cillian Murphy for staying sane during the production of Christopher Nolan’s period epic.
Murphy plays scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer who led the Manhattan Project during World War II and ultimately created the atomic bomb.
“His brain was just too full,” Damon said People magazine of Murphy’s dedication to the role, noting that the “Batman Begins” alum was unable to attend ensemble cast dinners due to the weight of the role. Damon, who plays US Army Lieutenant General Leslie Groves, previously called Murphy’s performance an acting “marathon.”
Fellow co-star Emily Blunt, who plays Oppenheimer’s wife Kitty, added, “The sheer volume of what (Murphy) has had to go through and endure is so monumental. Obviously he didn’t want to come to dinner with us ».
Murphy told People, “You know when you have those big roles, that responsibility, you feel like it’s kind of overwhelming.”
The actor previously admitted he was “desperate” to direct a Nolan film after collaborating with the director for 20 years on films ranging from the “Dark Knight” trilogy to “Inception” and “Dunkirk.”
“We have this longstanding understanding, trust, shortcut and respect. It felt like the right time to take on a bigger responsibility,” Murphy said earlier this year. I’m. I don’t really care about the size of the part. But deep down, secretly, I was desperate to play a role for him.
For all the details on “Oppenheimer”, click here.
