“Oppenheimer” star Cillian Murphy conceded during a recent interview that his costar, Oscar-winning actor Matt Damon, was probably justified in calling him “the worst dinner companion imaginable.”
Murphy, who played the title role in the Christopher Nolan-directed historical drama, told “60 Minutes” host Scott Pelley that — at least while they were still filming — he had probably been more interested in staying in character and getting enough sleep than he was in entertaining at dinner.
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Matt Damon says, "Cillian is the worst dinner companion imaginable." Hear Cillian Murphy's reaction. https://t.co/FNkS0GJWQC pic.twitter.com/a2UkC9xlNF
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) February 19, 2024
Pelley put the question to Murphy directly, saying, “Matt Damon told me that ‘Cillian is the worst dinner companion imaginable.'”
Murphy laughed, and Pelley explained: “What he meant by that was when you’re working on a film — when you’re being the character — there’s very little room in your head for anything else.”
“Yeah, I mean, I’ve always been like that, I think,” Murphy said, still laughing. “But it’s because, to me, you have the time on set, which is short enough time — you have 10 hours, maybe. And then the other part, if you’ve got a significant part, you’re having to keep your lines fresh.”
“And then the other big thing for me is sleeping. I love sleeping and I need sleep,” Murphy continued. He went on to explain that in the weeks after filming wrapped, he and Damon had eaten together on a number of occasions while promoting the film: “lots of lovely dinners.”
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“At the time, yeah, you just don’t have the room, like you say, in your head, and you want as much sleep as possible,” he said.
Murphy’s dedication to craft appears to have paid off — his turn in “Oppenheimer” earned him his first Academy Award nomination in the Best Actor category. He already won in that same category at the 2024 Golden Globes and the 2024 BAFTA Awards in London. Costars Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt were also nominated for Academy Awards in the Best Supporting Actor and Actress categories, respectively. The film is nominated for Best Picture, and Nolan is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Directing as well, among 13 nominations total.