Cillian Murphy has become one of the actors of the moment for his role as Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s film. His performance has been applauded by experts and viewers alike, as it really grabs you and makes you travel back in time experiencing endless emotions.
However, he didn’t get to play his character just by reading the script, as to achieve something ‘flawless’ and very close to reality, he had to undergo strict and extreme processes.
What Did Cillian Murphy Do to Become Oppenheimer?
Cillian Murphy had to achieve a gaunt look like the one seen by the physicist during the development of the Manhattan Project, which led to the creation of the atomic bomb. Five months before filming began, the actor underwent a rigorous diet, which, according to Emily Blunt, consisted of eating one almond a day, just that.
But Cillian was convinced it was a challenge he was willing to take on to be the best Oppenheimer. “I love acting with my body, and Oppenheimer had a very different silhouette from mine, so I wanted to get it right,” said Murphy in an interview for The New York Times.
He stressed that he had to lose a lot of weight for his character: “We worked on the costumes and the tailoring; he was very thin, almost emaciated, subsisting on martinis and cigarettes, and he had these really bright eyes, so we worked a lot on his silhouette and expressions before we started shooting.”
Other Actors Who Have Undergone Extreme Processes for a Role
As we see in Oppenheimer, Cillian is one of the actors who don’t mind changing their entire appearance to play their character as realistically as possible. Another actor who stands out on the list is Brendan Fraser, who had to gain weight to reach 286 pounds for his role in The Whale. In addition to that, with makeup and prosthetics, he managed to look like 573 pounds.
Undoubtedly, one of the actors who is known for his extreme physical transformations is Christian Bale. One of his characters that surprised us the most was the one in The Machinist, for which he lost over 60 pounds. He only drank coffee, an apple, and a can of tuna a day.
Joaquin Phoenix did it too. To give life to the Joker, the actor underwent a strict diet to lose several kilos and reach madness. These are some of the actors who deserve special recognition for risking their lives so that the viewer can see a believable character.
This story was written in Spanish by Nayeli Párraga in Cultura Colectiva
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