Cillian Murphy has disclosed details of a very personal and touching note that Christopher Nolan left on his original script for Oppenheimer.
Murphy signed on to take the lead role in the film after reading the script, earning acclaim from across the board. He won the BAFTA for Best Actor in a Leading Role this week, and is the bookies’ favourite to do the same at the Oscars next month.
And now, in an interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes, Murphy has revealed the personal touch from the director that greeted him when he first picked up the script.
“Dearest Cillian. Finally, a chance to see you lead… Love, Chris,” the note read.
Oppenheimer is the sixth film that Murphy and Nolan have collaborated on, following on from the Dark Knight trilogy, Inception and Dunkirk, but this is the first time that Murphy has had the chance to take on the lead role.
Oppenheimer was the biggest winner of the night at the BAFTAs this week, winning a total of seven, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for Murphy. Poor Things came in second, with a total of five wins, and The Zone of Interest won three.
Nolan used his Best Director acceptance speech to acknowledge the people who have fought for nuclear disarmament. “I do just want to say, our film ends on what I think is a dramatically necessary note of despair,” he said. “But in the real world there are all kinds of individuals and organisations who have fought long and hard to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world.”
“Since its peak in 1967, they’ve done it by almost 90%. Of late, that’s gone the wrong way. And so, in accepting this, I do just want to acknowledge their efforts and point out that they show the necessity and potential of efforts for peace.”
While Oppenheimer producer Emma Thomas was delivering the acceptance speech for Best Film, it transpires a YouTuber and prankster gatecrashed the stage and stood silently behind Thomas, Nolan and Murphy, before being detained by security after they left the stage.
BAFTA responded to the incident in a statement: “A social media prankster was removed by security last night after joining the winners of the final award on stage – we are taking this very seriously, and don’t wish to grant him any publicity by commenting further.”