Robert Downey Jr has likened his role in Oppenheimer to his stint as Iron Man, with the actor noting the “obsession” he developed for each role.
The star played Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s biopic of the titular physicist (Cillian Murphy), with his character facing the music during several court scenes.
In an interview with W Magazine, Downey Jr said his role in Oppenheimer was akin to two previous performances, one of which was his tenure as Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Related: Oppenheimer true story - what happened to J Robert Oppenheimer?
“There have been three times in my career when I became completely obsessed with the possibility of playing a role,” he said. “First time was Chaplin. Second time was Tony Stark, in Iron Man.
“And the third time - I got the trifecta, and you're lucky if this happens a couple of times - was with Lewis Strauss, for Oppenheimer. I knew a little bit about my character because I'm kind of a Cold War enthusiast. I don't know why I've been obsessed with it.
What to Read Next
“I think that, sadly, that period informs where we are nowadays in the world. I knew that Strauss was involved in the development of the proximity fuse and that he headed up the Atomic Energy Commission.”
“I didn't really know about [his] rivalry with Oppenheimer. But clearly, after 20 minutes into reading the script, I realised that [it] would be thematic,” he added.
Related: Christopher Nolan responds to Oppenheimer criticism
Oppenheimer garnered both popular and critical acclaim upon its release last year, with Downey Jr pre-empting this by revealing that the biopic was the “best film” he had worked on during his career.
“This is the best film I’ve ever been in, and I cannot wait for you all to experience it,” he said in July. “No matter what your expectations are and what you might think, it transcends them. This is what a summer blockbuster, when I was growing up, used to be.”
Oppenheimer is available on DVD and Blu-ray now.
You Might Like...
Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
