Cillian Murphy Says Oppenheimer Sex Scenes With Florence Pugh Were ‘Vital’ to the Plot

Warning: The following contains minor story spoilers for Oppenheimer.

Cillian Murphy has shared his views on the divisive sex scenes in Christopher Nolan’s big-screen biopic Oppenheimer, admitting they were “awkward” to film but “vital” to the plot.

Murphy plays J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist commonly regarded as one of the “fathers of the atomic bomb”, while Florence Pugh stars as Jean Tatlock, a fellow physician who was romantically involved with Oppenheimer before and during his marriage to Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer.

Oppenheimer and Tatlock’s tryst inspires many intimate moments between the pair, including a prolonged sex scene, the first ever to be directed by Nolan. Murphy admitted no actor “likes” filming explicit scenes, but he thought they were “worthwhile” in Oppenheimer’s case because they were crucial to the story.

“I think they were vital in this in this movie,” Murphy told GQ. “I think the relationship that he has with Jean Tatlock is one of the most crucial emotional parts of the film. I think if they’re key to the story, then they’re worthwhile. Listen, no one likes doing them. They’re the most awkward possible part of our job. But sometimes you have to get on with it.”

Murphy’s comments echo those of Nolan, who previously told Insider the sex scenes were an “essential” part of Oppenheimer’s story as they offered insight into the type of character he was, especially in his private life and romantic relationships.

“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. “It felt very important to understand their relationship and to really see inside it and understand what made it tick without being coy or allusive about it — but to try to be intimate, to try and be in there with him and fully understand the relationship that was so important to him.”

The R-rated scenes sparked controversy and discourse about whether they were necessary for the movie, with some countries opting to censor the intimate moments in Nolan’s three-hour epic. Specifically, a nude scene involving Pugh’s character is said to have been altered in India and the Middle East to depict her wearing a dress.

Oppenheimer is an adaptation of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer and is generally faithful to real-life events. However, Charles Oppenheimer, grandson of the famed nuclear physicist, would have preferred the poison apple scene to be left out.

Nolan’s biographical drama makes up one part of the ‘Barbenheimer’ cinematic experience, a phenomenon that has left box office analysts reeling. Since its release, Oppenheimer has received rave reviews from critics and fans alike, with IGN describing the movie as a “jolting thriller” that is “big, bold, and surprisingly intimate”.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.