Admittedly, with a view to all the films in which the old star has already stood in front of the camera for Christopher Nolan (52), Sir Michael Caine (90) cannot be ignored. However, the name Cillian Murphy (47) appears directly behind it. The actor, who will star in the haunting biopic ‘Oppenheimer’ from July 20, is one of the director’s greatest constants. As the eponymous “Father of the Atomic Bomb”, he can now shine as a leading actor for the first time.
Nolan and Murphy first worked together in 2005. At that time, the “Dark Knight” trilogy celebrated its debut with Christian Bale in the role of Gotham’s protector with “Batman Begins”. Murphy was allowed to play the vile Dr. Jonathan Crane, who under the alias Scarecrow developed into a serious adversary for Batman. The part as the main villain, however, took Liam Neeson (71) in the form of Ra’s al Ghul. After all: Murphy was also allowed to play Scarecrow again briefly in the two sequels “The Dark Knight” and “Batman Rises” – making him the only villain to appear in all three films.
Two years before the conclusion of the Batman trilogy, Nolan’s science fiction film “Inception” with Leonardo DiCaprio (48) was released. As a dream infiltrator Dominick Cobb, he is supposed to plant the idea in the subconscious of the heir to a gigantic corporation to split up the company. Said billionaire son Robert Michael Fischer was also played by Cillian Murphy.
It was only enough for a mini appearance in the war drama “Dunkirk”. In the 2017 film, the character played by Murphy didn’t even have a name anymore—according to the credits, she was actually called “Trembling Soldier.” So now, in his sixth attempt under Nolan, the Irish actor has made it to the top.
And how: Murphy leads in “Oppenheimer” perhaps the most sonorous cast in recent film history. Also appearing in the work are Matt Damon (52), Robert Downey Jr. (58), Emily Blunt (40), Rami Malek (42), Florence Pugh (27), Gary Oldman (65), Casey Affleck (47) , Kenneth Branagh (62) and Josh Hartnett (44) – just to name a few.
