The Striking Stare That Kept Co-stars Awestruck
Has he ever been entranced by the intense blue eyes of acclaimed actor Cillian Murphy? It turns out you’re not alone. His co-stars from the upcoming historical drama Oppenheimer, too, found themselves continually distracted by his magnetic gaze.
In a recent group interview with People Magazine, Oscar-winner Matt Damon amusingly described the issue they faced while filming.
“It’s a real problem when you’re doing scene work with Cillian,” Damon confessed. “Sometimes you find yourself just swimming in his eyes.”
Emily Blunt chimed in, adding a lyrical reference that perfectly captured the sentiment, “It’s like that ‘Ocean Eyes’ song by Billie Eilish. We just hum it all day.”
Revealing the Characters of ‘Oppenheimer’
In Oppenheimer, Murphy takes center stage as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American theoretical physicist notoriously known as the ‘father of the atomic bomb.’ Damon stars alongside him, portraying Gen. Leslie Groves, the military officer overseeing the Manhattan Project, while Emily Blunt takes on the role of Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, Robert’s wife.
The Man Behind the ‘Intense Stare’
Director Christopher Nolan had no qualms about casting Murphy in this significant role. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Nolan described how the book ‘American Prometheus’ cover image — a black and white photograph of a fiercely intense stare — influenced his decision.
“I’ve been staring at the cover…and there’s this photograph, a light blue-eyed stare, very intense…and I thought, ‘Well, I know who could do that.'”
A Bond Strengthened over Time
This isn’t the first collaboration between Murphy and Nolan. Oppenheimer marks their sixth film together, the first where Murphy takes the lead role. Nolan recalled his initial impression of Murphy in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“I remember being struck by your presence, literally from that one photograph, and then started to look into who you were and what you’d done, and got very excited about the idea of meeting you and having you screen test for Batman,” Nolan reminisced.
From Villain to Hero
Murphy’s journey with Nolan began with his role as the villain Scarecrow in the Dark Knight Trilogy, forming a professional bond that has now spanned over 18 years. The Irish actor has since portrayed a wealthy businessman’s heir in Inception and a soldier in Dunkirk.
In Oppenheimer, he steps up to a new challenge, playing the enigmatic lead character, a role that seems made for him — if his captivating ‘ocean eyes’ are anything to go by. As audiences wait in anticipation for this historical drama, they can look forward to being drawn into Murphy’s captivating gaze just as his co-stars were.
