Cillian Murphy, who stars in the new biographical thriller “Oppenheimer,” has opened up about filming the movie’s racy scenes.
In an interview with GQ Magazine, Murphy said that he felt “awkward” while filming the intimate scenes with co-star Florence Pugh.
“I think they were vital in this movie,” Murphy said when asked if the scenes were needed to tell the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer. “I think the relationship that he has with [Pugh’s character] Jean Tatlock is one of the most crucial emotional parts of the film.”
However, Murphy also admitted that filming the scenes was not always easy.
“Listen, no one likes doing them,” he said. “They’re the most awkward possible part of our job. But sometimes you have to get on with it.”
The director of the film, Christopher Nolan, has also spoken about the racy scenes. In an interview with Insider, Nolan said that he was “nervous” about how the scenes would be received, but that he felt they were “essential” to the story.
“When you look at Oppenheimer’s life and you look at his story, that aspect of his life, the aspect of his sexuality, his way with women, the charm that he exuded, it’s an essential part of his story,” Nolan said.
The film has been met with mixed reactions, with some critics praising the racy scenes and others criticizing them. However, the film has also been the subject of controversy in India, where officials have condemned the movie for a scene that includes the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text.
Social media users in India have also taken to Twitter to bash Nolan for the scene, saying that he launched a “scathing attack on Hinduism.”
The film is currently playing in theaters.