Cillian Murphymade a big name for himself in Hollywood thanks to his appearance inBatman Begins. While his role as Dr. Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy was a memorable one, the actor didn’t originally audition to play the fear-loving villain, but instead donned the Batsuit and tries out for the role that would eventually go to Christian Bale. However, Murphy recently toldEntertainment Weeklythat he was never really made to play Batman and knew it when auditioning for Nolan.
Nolan and Murphy have teamed up again forOppenheimer, in which the Irish actor takes on the title role of the father of the atomic bomb. While he and Nolan discussed their latest collaboration, talk turned to that first meeting, and how being Batman for just an audition was a good “buzz” but was never going to lead to him actually being cast in the role.
Murphy: “It was clear to me from the beginning that I wasn’t Batman material. It felt to me that it was correct and right that it should be Christian Bale for that part. But I remember the buzz of trying on the suit and being directed by you. Those tests were high production values.”Nolan: “When we had our first conversation I think both of us knew that you weren’t going to wind up playing Batman. But I really wanted to get on set with you, I wanted to get you on film. We did those screen tests very elaborately, on 35mm, with a little set. There was just an electric atmosphere in the crew when you started to perform. We did two scenes — there was a Bruce Wayne scene and a Batman scene — and I made sure that executives came down and watched what you were doing on set. Everybody was so excited by watching you perform that when I then said to them, “Okay, Christian Bale is Batman, but what about Cillian to play Scarecrow?” there was no dissent. All the previous Batman villains had been played by huge movie stars: Jack Nicholson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Carrey, that kind of thing. That was a big leap for them and it really was purely on the basis of that test. So that’s how you got to play Scarecrow.”
The rest, as they say, is history…literally considering the pair’s latest movie.
Related:Oppenheimer Trailer Teases Christopher Nolan’s Epic About the Father of the Atomic Bomb
Cillian Murphy was Desperate to be Part of Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
Since their first project together, Cillian Murphy has been happy to work with Christopher Nolan on any project that comes along. For that reason, when the chance tocollaborate with the director onOppenheimercame along, Murphy was adamant he would be part of the movie. He previously said:
“He’s so understated and self-deprecating and, in his very English manner, just said, ‘Listen, I’ve written this script, it’s about Oppenheimer. I’d like you to be my Oppenheimer.’ It was a great day. I have always said publicly and privately, to Chris, that if I’m available and you want me to be in a movie, I’m there. I don’t really care about the size of the part. But deep down, secretly, I was desperate to play a lead for him.”
WhileOppenheimerfaces an uphill struggle at the box office, there is no doubt that its all-star cast will lead to plenty of accolades come Awards season.
