Nolan and Murphy, a working duo
It all started in 2003. At that time, director Christopher Nolan was given the task of rebooting Batman in the cinema. Since the criticized “batman & robin”, the franchise had fallen into disuse on the big screen. For Nolan, this was a colossal undertaking. To accomplish it, he surrounded himself with the best and made it a point of honor to be particularly demanding throughout the casting process. This is where he crossed paths with Irishman Cillian Murphy. Initially auditioning for the role of Batman, Murphy was ultimately selected for the role of the Scarecrow.
Even better, a connection was formed between the two men, both professionally and personally. Christopher Nolan is a director who enjoys working with people he knows. He has worked extensively with Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Wally Pfister, Hoyte von Hoytema, and his producer and wife Emma Thomas. Cillian Murphy has collaborated with Nolan on no less than six films: “Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight,” “Inception,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Dunkirk,” and “Oppenheimer.” However, Murphy would have liked to add “Interstellar” to this list.
Interstellar, the regret of the Oppenheimer actor
During an interview with The Independent, Cillian Murphy admitted that he regretted not being able to play in “Interstellar.” He loved the movie and found it incredibly moving. He even remembers watching it at the cinema with his children when they were little. It had a profound impact on him. Naturally, he would have loved to be a part of this great space adventure. However, Murphy acknowledged that the casting, particularly Matthew McConaughey’s performance in the lead role, was perfect.
But Murphy does not lose hope of one day having a small connection to the film. He hinted that it would be the perfect movie for a double feature with “Oppenheimer.” Both productions share somewhat similar scientific themes. Murphy also mentioned that another Nolan film, “Dunkirk,” could work for a double feature, but for different reasons.