Last year the SAG-AFTRA strike caused a number of unprecedented moments in Hollywood, and one of them took place at the premiere ofOppenheimer. Due to the timing of the strike announcement, the cast of the movie, includingCillian Murphy,Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr. all walked out of the event, leaving director Christopher Nolan to explain their sudden absence. Now the movie’s leads have broken their silence on what occurred after that infamous moment – they went to a local bar.
Oppenheimer
TheOppenheimerwalkout was one of many shows of unity among actors in Hollywood as the strike began, and Murphy, Blunt and Downey Jr. addressed the moment while appearingonJimmy Kimmel Live!this week. The trio shared the story of the aftermath oftheir walkout at Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, London, which simply turned into a lengthy drinking session in the name of solidarity. Downey Jr. addressed the walkout before opening up for Murphy to reveal:
In true Irish fashion, I went to the bar straight away.
Blunt followed this up by quickly adding:
We went to the bar in solidarity. A few of us went. Even this one [Downey Jr.] went. We staying until 4 a.m.
When asked whether the drinking was in celebration of the fact they did not have to promoteOppenheimerin the following days, Blunt jokingly confirmed that was exactly the reason.
Oppenheimer Did Not Suffer Due to Lack of Star Promotion
Oppenheimer, helmed by Christopher Nolan, became one of the biggest movies of 2023, spurred on by the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. Subsequently, the film has beensweeping the board at various awards ceremonieson its way to the crowning glory of an almost guaranteed haul at this year’s Academy Awards in March. Even with the constraints of the actors’ strike, the film spoke for itself and became the highest-grossing biopic of all time and secured Christopher Nolan one of his most successful movies ever.
The way theOppenheimerwalkout occurred became one of the first big signs of what was to come following strike action being confirmed. In almost every instance, Hollywood came to a halt as productions immediately shut down, and stars took to the picket lines to add their weight to the demands of the union. Although there were many who noted that some of Hollywood’s highest paid stars were not really who the strike was for, the complete show of solidarity among even the biggest stars spoke volumes at a time when the industry was already in turmoil thanks to the WGA strike that was already in place at that time.
How Oppenheimer is the Culmination of Christopher Nolan’s Career
From Memento to Interstellar, Dunkirk and Tenet, all of Christopher Nolan’s films have prepared him for tackling the story of Oppenheimer.
AsOppenheimerreceives more accolades, including an impressive haul at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and a Grammy, it continued to impress with more wins at the SAG Awards on Saturday. The most recent awards night included another win for Downey Jr. who, like director Nolan and lead Murphy, seem almost certain to take home an Oscar at the 96th Academy Awards. You can watch Oppenheimer through the link below:
Watch Oppenheimer
