In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Cillian Murphy, who leads the cast of Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer‘, sheds light on the demanding process he underwent to embody J. Robert Oppenheimer, the storied figure dubbed the “father of the atomic bomb.”
Flanked by fellow Oscar nominees Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr., Murphy lauds Nolan’s visionary approach to the biopic, which chronicles Oppenheimer’s pivotal contribution to the atomic bomb’s creation during the tumultuous era of World War II.
To authentically portray the physicist, Cillian Murphy chose to undergo a rigorous physical transformation, embracing significant weight loss to mirror Oppenheimer’s lean and delicate stature—a stark contrast to his formidable intellect.
“It was useful,” the actor reflects. “He was insecure about his physicality, but you had this hugely strong mind and this really frail body, so it was useful.”
Despite the necessity, Murphy admits that the journey to shed pounds was far from ‘enjoyable’, taking a toll on his overall well-being by sapping his mood and vitality. He mentioned (in passing) that he even spent most nights without having dinner.
Curious about the extent of the actor’s commitment, Kimmel inquired about the amount of weight he shed, to which Murphy responded that he didn’t know as he had stopped measuring his weight at some point.
In a lighter moment, Cillian Murphy recounts a peculiar off-screen mishap involving a pillow gifted by co-star Emily Blunt. An innocent attempt to fluff the pillow led to an unexpected collision with a bedside table, resulting in a gash that demanded medical attention.
Luisa Abel, the film’s makeup artist, came to Murphy’s rescue, ‘expertly’ sealing the wound and concealing it so well that it remained unnoticed in the final cut of the film.
“She glued my head, and covered it all up, and you don’t even see it in the movie, I think.”
With an impressive tally of 13 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Murphy, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Director for Nolan, ‘Oppenheimer’ stands as a frontrunner in this year’s awards race.
