On Wednesday night, acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan made a much-anticipated appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. During his multi-part interview, Nolan discussed his latest film Oppenheimer, as well as some fascinating insights into his filmmaking process and personal life. The interview began with Colbert playfully poking fun at Nolan's trademark cryptic style, to which Nolan responded, 'This is going to be straightforward talking. It's not going to be some sort of existential crisis pondering the nature of the universe or the fate of man.'
Amidst the lighthearted banter, Nolan shed light on his decision to cast actor Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer, stating that while he didn't initially write the biopic with Murphy in mind, he realized Murphy was the perfect fit once he saw a photo of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the film's titular character. Nolan explained his approach to casting, stating, 'I try not to think of actors when I'm writing because I don't want to limit what the character could be... So trying to deal with real characters—particularly real people—I try to just be pure to that.'
As expected, the conversation also touched on Nolan's penchant for creating complex and thought-provoking narratives, as exemplified by his film Tenet. When Colbert asked if Nolan understood everything in Tenet, Nolan responded, 'You're not meant to understand everything in Tenet. It's not all comprehensible. It's a bit like asking if I know what happens to the spinning top at the end of Inception.' This inspired Colbert to question the fate of the spinning top in Inception, to which Nolan offered insight into the power of ambiguity in his films.
Nolan admitted that he made the mistake of sharing his own interpretation of the ending of his film Memento at a press conference years ago. He learned from that experience and now understands that viewers often crave definite answers. He explained, 'If I was looking for the film to be interpreted as ambiguous, I needed to keep my mouth shut.' This revelation also led to a discussion on Nolan's aversion to commenting on fan theories surrounding his work.
In a particularly surprising revelation, Nolan shared the inspiration behind his use of the Shephard tone, a sound that creates the illusion of ascending or descending pitch. He attributed the discovery of this auditory technique to a Beck song called 'Lonesome Tears.' Nolan reached out to composer David Julyan, who incorporated the Shephard tone into the score of The Prestige to evoke a sense of anticipation and wonder.
Colbert also seized the opportunity to address some rumors about Nolan, including his alleged aversion to email and cellphone usage. Nolan confirmed that he prefers to carry a simple pay-as-you-go 'dumb phone' and even joked about being inspired by The Wire's depiction of burner phones. Another rumor discussed was Emily Blunt's claim that Nolan dislikes Uggs, and while he admitted to having some distaste for the popular boots, he explained that his concern is primarily about maintaining the actors' focus on their roles.
In an unexpected moment, the conversation took a turn towards Nolan's guilty pleasure movie franchise—the Fast & Furious series. Nolan confessed to being a big fan of the high-octane action films and expressed no shame in his appreciation for them. Colbert, who had never seen any of the movies, playfully challenged Nolan to join him for a marathon viewing. Nolan graciously accepted, suggesting they start with Tokyo Drift and enjoy it as its own standalone story.
As the interview concluded, one question remained: will Nolan and Colbert actually have a Fast & Furious movie marathon? Only time will tell if this cinematic event comes to fruition. For now, fans of Nolan and his films can reflect on the fascinating insights shared during his appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
