Universal Pictures
Oppenheimer is a star-studded fare from top to bottom, with A-list actors filling out the entire call sheet. The best performances, though, come from the two names at the top: Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr.
Speaking with British GQ for an interview prior to the film’s release, Murphy not only raved about working with the 58-year-old former Marvel Cinematic Universe star but also revealed that a lot of the scenes they shared were improvised.
“A lot of the scenes I have with Downey, it was quite loose and quite improvisational,” Murphy said in an interview with British GQ.
“I mean, acting with him was was was was just extraordinary. He’s just electrifying, the most available engaged, present, unpredictably brilliant actor I’ve ever worked with.”
Downey Jr. was equally effusive in his praise of Murphy, as he said that the “sacrifice” made by the 47-year-old Irishman was the “greatest he’d ever seen from a lead actor in his career.
During its first weekend at the domestic box office, Oppenheimer took in $82.5 million, which is the largest debut for a Nolan-directed film that doesn’t feature Batman. The film made an additional $94 million overseas at the international box office.
Alongside Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss, both of whom are being hailed as serious contenders for Academy Awards, Oppenheimer also stars Matt Damon as Leslie Groves, Emily Blunt as Kitty Oppenheimer, and Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock.
Additional actors that make up the sweeping ensemble cast include Josh Hartnett, Benny Safdie, Jason Clarke, Alden Ehrenreich, David Krumholtz, and more.
Oppenheimer is now playing in movie theaters across the world. You can check out one of the official trailers for the film below.