In Oppenheimer, we know Robert Downey Jr. gives a performance totally different from anything we’ve ever seen from him. It’s masterful, and the decision to cast him as Lewis Strauss in the Oppenheimer cast was inspired, albeit a bit shocking considering the actor’s filmography. So, with all that in mind, it was fascinating to hear the humorously honest advice Emily Blunt gave RDJ about working with the man who cast him and the film's director Christopher Nolan.
It sounds like Christopher Nolan runs a tight ship on set, and Blunt wanted Downey to be aware of that. However, they also both sang their praises for the director and his process, which clearly works considering Oppenheimer’s reviews have hailed it a “cinematic triumph."
The Advice Emily Blunt Gave To Robert Downey Jr. About Christopher Nolan
Emily Blunt was explaining how Christopher Nolan usually won’t tell actors when he’s super happy with a take, because “he’s very English.” As we all know, Robert Downey Jr. is all charisma. So, right before RDJ walked onto the set of Oppenheimer, Blunt gave him some advice about the director, which she recalled during Variety’s Actors on Actors:
I remember when I first met Robert Downey Jr., I said, 'You're going to just love it so much and the screws are going to get tightened on you so much, and it's just the most focused, wonderful, unchaotic set. But you're going to get some very British compliments. There will be no smoke blown up your ass, and you're going to have to be alright with it.'
As we all know, Robert Downey Jr. is best known for playing the charismatic and hilarious Tony Stark. However, his character in Oppenheimer is the complete opposite. It also sounds like the way Nolan works is totally different from what actors are likely used to, and it helps bring out the best in them. Continuing to speak about Nolan and why he’s the master he is, Blunt said:
He is extraordinary. He’s like a tempest of a talent encased in this completely calm or authoritative person. But he’s fun, isn’t he? And warm, and accessible, and it’s all those things that people kind of don’t assume about him. I think everyone is very intimidated.
With all this in mind, it’s fascinating to hear Robert Downey Jr. speak about his time working on Oppenheimer. And based on his comments, I bet he took this humorously honest advice from Blunt quite seriously.
What Robert Downey Jr. Said About Working With Christopher Nolan
Downey agreed with a lot of the sentiments Blunt shared about Nolan. During an interview with Vanity Fair, the actor explained what it’s like working with the director and how his perception of him changed:
There's two Nolans. There's the Nolan before you've worked for him, where's kind of this very distant Oz-like figure. He's just held, as we all know, in this very particular esteem because of his acumen and his mastery of this medium. And then there's what happens as you approach and get into the system that he uses. It's so hard to explain, but he's a very, very singular fella. So even the screen tests felt important. Not important in a fru-fru high-status way, there's just an energy and an intensity to what he does.
'Oppenheimer' Interview | Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema Talks Working With Christopher Nolan
RDJ went on to say that Nolan asked him to transform into someone who is “subtle and plotting,” which is the exact opposite of the boisterous and charismatic actor we know and love. This led him to candidly explain that getting this offer for this movie felt like the Inception director was “challenging the entirety of my career trajectory.”
Both Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr. made it very clear that working with Christopher Nolan is a wholly unique experience, and I bet RDJ appreciated his co-star giving him a heads-up about it.
Overall, the majority of the “Oppenhomies” – Downey’s nickname for the cast – have expressed their adoration for the director, his process and his films. His method works, just look at the wild stats for Oppenheimer’s success and the critical raves about Nolan’s historical drama, and that fact is abundantly clear. However, learning more about how the director functions and how he’s able to work with actors to create unexpected and brilliant performances makes his films even better.
To see both Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr. turn in career-best performances and to witness why Christopher Nolan is considered a master of his craft, you can purchase Oppenheimer on VOD.
