Actor Robert Downey Jr. has shared his thoughts on Cillian Murphy‘s performance in Oppenheimer.
Murphy portrays J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, in Christopher Nolan’s new historical thriller. Downey Jr. appears in the film as Lewis Strauss, the chairman of the US Atomic Energy Commission. Although Downey Jr. portrays a character who despises Murphy’s character, Downey Jr. has nothing but positive things to say about his co-star.
“I have never witnessed a greater sacrifice by a lead actor in my career,” Downey told People. “He knew it was going to be a behemoth ask when Chris called him. But I think he also had the humility that is required to survive playing a role like this.”
“We’d be like, ‘Hey, we got a three-day weekend. Maybe we’ll go antiquing in Santa Fe. What are you going to do?’ ‘Oh, I have to learn 30,000 words of Dutch. Have a nice time.’ But that’s the nature of the ask.”
How much did Oppenheimer make opening weekend?
Oppenheimer is overperforming with an $80 million debut at the box office.
The cast includes Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett, Kenneth Branagh, Dane DeHaan, Alden Ehrenreich, Matthew Modine, Jack Quaid, David Dastmalachian, Jason Clarke, Josh Peck, Devon Bostick, Gary Oldman, and Casey Affleck.
“During World War II, Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves Jr. appoints physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project,” reads the synopsis. “Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spend years developing and designing the atomic bomb. Their work comes to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witness the world’s first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history.”
