Cillian Murphy has received significant praise for portraying J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s latest film, “Oppenheimer.”
This central role, however, came at a tremendous cost, as the 47-year-old actor underwent a stunning change, losing a considerable amount of weight to play the American theoretical physicist known as the “father of the atomic bomb.”
Cillian’s dedication to the job was exposed during conversations with co-stars Emily Blunt and Matt Damon. Emily characterized him as “emaciated” due to his excessive commitment, and his daily diet consisted of only an almond or a little slice of apple.
Even when the group was invited to dinner, Cillian refused to eat to maintain his tight diet.
Cillian revealed that he went to great lengths to authentically portray Oppenheimer, known to live on smoke and drink.
He described how he accepted the challenge of recreating Oppenheimer’s distinct stature and form, which necessitated significant weight loss and rigorous clothing and tailoring alterations.
Despite the negative impact on his health, the Peaky Blinders star admitted that the rigorous part helped him focus because he was wholly involved in the character’s intensity and didn’t have time to think about food.
He compared the sensation to being on a never-ending train, pushing himself to exhaustion.
Even with this, Cillian stressed that others should not replicate his drastic weight loss method. He raised reservations about being extremely competitive with oneself and cautioned against pursuing such approaches for art’s sake.
On the other hand, his commitment to the part is undeniable, and it demonstrates the amount of effort that many actors go through to give accurate depictions on television.
The film “Oppenheimer,” inspired on the Nobel Prize-winning history “American Prometheus: the Victory and Disaster of J. Robert Oppenheimer” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, will hit theaters soon.
The biography, written as a labor of love over a twenty-five-year period, presents an in-depth account of Oppenheimer’s life, covering his essential role in building the atomic bomb during WWII and the moral quandaries he encountered due to the far-reaching implications of scientific development.
As spectators await the film’s premiere, they can’t help but respect Cillian Murphy’s passion for his art and the lengths he went to bring this complicated historical figure to life on the big screen.
It exemplifies the dedication and passion that drive the art of filmmaking and the transformational ability of cinema to highlight the human condition via extraordinary performances.
