The Big Picture
- Cillian Murphy’s performance in Oppenheimer is a key factor in the film’s success, as he impressively carries the movie and captivates audiences with his magnetism on-screen.
- Murphy’s collaboration with director Christopher Nolan has proven fruitful, as he has played pivotal roles in all of Nolan’s top grossing movies, demonstrating the director’s trust in his abilities.
- From portraying the menacing Scarecrow in Batman Begins to adding emotional depth to the complex narrative of Inception, Murphy has consistently delivered compelling performances throughout his collaborations with Nolan.
In the wake of Oppenheimer‘s phenomenal success, it should be noted that a key part of the movie’s success will surely be put down to the performance of its leading man Cillian Murphy. Given the biggest opportunity of his career so far, the Irish actor is absolutely magnetic on-screen and is featured in almost every scene of the film, repaying the massive faith placed in him by his longstanding creative partner and collaborator, Christopher Nolan.
And now, with the success of Oppenheimer causing it to break into the top three highest-grossing domestic movies in Nolan’s filmography, it’s also worth pointing out that Murphy has now played pivotal roles in all 5 of Nolan’s top grossing movies, which have earned a cumulative $1.774 billion at the domestic box office, a sign of how much the director trusts him.
In Batman Begins, Murphy portrayed Dr. Jonathan Crane, also known as the Scarecrow, a psychiatrist who becomes one of Batman’s early adversaries. Murphy’s portrayal of the character added depth and menace to the film’s villainous ensemble. Murphy famously auditioned for the role of Bruce Wayne, for which both he and Nolan knew he wasn’t the right fit, but that audition gave Nolan the leeway to bring Murphy in as the villain despite being lesser known at the time. Murphy would go on to reprise the role in 2008’s The Dark Knight in what would amount to a brief cameo at the start of the film, before playing a meatier part in the director’s next film, the mind-bending Inception from 2010.
Murphy played the role of Robert Fischer, a key character whose mind is the target of an elaborate heist within dreams. Murphy’s performance added emotional depth to the film’s complex narrative, particularly given he must go through the entire film as the only character unaware of what is actually happening within the plot for the entirety of the movie’s running time. Murphy would then return once more to the role of Scarecrow for 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, where Crane oversaw a kangaroo court in a Gotham City overrun by Bane’s criminals.
The Shivering Soldier
Outside of the top five, Murphy also appeared for Nolan in 2017’s Dunkirk, playing the role of a man found at sea during the dramatic landings on the French shores of Dunkirk during the famous battle in the Second World War, before finally, getting his shot at leading man status in Oppenheimer and taking his opportunity with both hands, as his performance has been tipped for awards glory.
You can catch our interview with Murphy for Oppenheimer down below.
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Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
