Miramax Presents The Film That Lit My Fuse is a Deadline video series that aims to provide an antidote to headlines about industry uncertainty by swinging the conversation back to the creative ambitions, formative influences and inspirations of some of today’s great screen artists.
Every installment asks the same five questions. This week’s subject is Cillian Murphy, who stars as the title character in Oppenheimer, the Christopher Nolan-directed biopic of Robert J. Oppenheimer and the American physicist’s pivotal role in developing the atomic bomb that would twice be used on Japan to end WWII. Eagerly awaited since Deadline first revealed that the picture was going to be Nolan’s next film and a rare one not at his longtime home at Warner Bros, Oppenheimer will be released by Universal Pictures July 21.
While Murphy has been a regular in Nolan films from The Dark Knight series to Inception and Dunkirk, this is Murphy’s first major lead role. Nolan has said that once he saw Murphy’s haunting ice blue eyes when the actor auditioned for the role of Batman but instead played the villainous Scarecrow. His work includes playing Tommy Shelby in the BBC TV series Peaky Blinders and films from 28 Days Later to The Wind That Shakes The Barley, Intermission, A Quiet Place Part II and many others. Discover the inspirations that led Murphy to set aside his hopes for a career in music for stage success, with his biggest star turn coming shortly.
