Oppenheimer Interview: Matt Damon and Emily Blunt on Christopher Nolan's Convenient Casting

Christopher Nolan’s latest film, Oppenheimer, tells the story of physicist and head of the Manhattan Project’s secret weapons lab, J. Robert Oppenheimer, portrayed by longtime Nolan collaborator Cillian Murphy. To tell this harrowing recount, Nolan employed the talent of an impressive lineup of stars, including Oscar-winner Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, who sat down with Collider’s Steve Weintraub to talk about their experience on set and the opportunity to “be a part of a film that is lasting.” In the movie, Damon, who previously worked with the director on 2014’s Interstellar, plays the role of General Leslie Groves Jr., the director of the Manhattan Project and the man who appointed Oppenheimer to oversee the creation of the world’s first atomic bomb. Blunt plays Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, a fellow scientist and Robert's wife, who provided the physicist with what advice she could and a safe haven from the weight of his assignment. As were their real-life counterparts, Damon tells Weintraub their job, according to Nolan, was to provide the necessary support Murphy needed, considering this unique script “hinges on that performance.” They go on to discuss the impact of the movie, admitting, “It’s hard to stop talking about.” Joining them on the roster are Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Gary Oldman, and David Dastmalchian. During their conversation, which you can watch or read below, Damon and Blunt describe what it’s like to work with IMAX cameras and how cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema plays a part in making the process effortless. They also reveal Nolan’s “convenient casting” method, what it was like to read the script for the first time in the filmmaker’s living room, and why audiences should try to catch one of the limited IMAX 70mm screenings. #Oppenheimer #MattDamon #EmilyBlunt #ChristopherNolan For interviews, movie reviews, and more visit https://collider.com FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL   / collider     / collider     / collider