Oscars: Christopher Nolan Compares Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer Role to Heath Ledger’s Joker

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Oscars: Christopher Nolan Compares Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer Role to Heath Ledger’s Joker

Christopher Nolan says that seeing Cillian Murphy become J. Robert Oppenheimer reminded him of watching Heath Ledger transform into The Dark Knight’s Joker.

Speaking with Variety, Nolan reacted to Murphy’s recent Oscar nomination for his performance in 2023’s Oppenheimer.

“It was really in the hair and makeup tests, which we shoot on Imax and in black-and-white,” Nolan said. “You start to see the actor bringing an icon to life, putting the hat on, the cigarette in the corner of his mouth. You’re starting to see how he moves. It’s a thrilling moment. It is on every film. Seeing Cillian put this iconography together, it reminded me of my hair and makeup tests with Heath Ledger for the Joker.”

Murphy said he celebrated the nomination, which he learned about while at his home in Ireland, with a cup of tea and a slice of cake. “It was quite nice,” he added. “My mom made a sponge cake. It was very tasty.”

The other 2024 Academy Award nominees for Actor in a Leading Role include Bradley Cooper for Maestro, Colman Domingo for Rustin, Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers, and Jeffrey Wright for American Fiction.

Oppenheimer, meanwhile, was also nominated for Best Picture, Actor in a Supporting Role, Actress in a Supporting Role, Cinematography, Costume Design, Directing, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Production Design, Sound, and Writing (Adapted Screenplay).

Winners will be announced on Sunday, March 10, 2024.