Cillian Murphy, who has worked with Christopher Nolan in Batman Begins, Inception, Dunkirk, and Oppenheimer, often speaks with admiration about Nolan’s craft. In a recent interview, he shared insights that help explain why Nolan’s films feel unlike most others in Hollywood.
Intimacy Amid Grand Scale
Murphy says Nolan’s films often carry a sense of intimacy, even when the scope is huge. He noted that on set, Nolan keeps things simple: one camera, minimal monitors, and just the actors doing the work. According to Murphy, that approach “feels like independent filmmaking” despite the blockbuster scale.
He added that Nolan can stage enormous set pieces while still focusing intensely on performance. That blend of scale plus emotional detail is a key reason his films feel both epic and personal.
“Being in it with Chris”
One of the most repeated images Murphy evokes is how Nolan works—close to the actors, often beside the camera, no video village or big monitor setup. Murphy says it means the performance is at the heart of everything, that the director cares deeply about how actors deliver their lines, their choices, their small moments.
That setup helps actors feel seen, listened to, and trusted. It also allows spontaneity—a reaction or glance that wasn’t in the script may be kept. That cautious flexibility is rare in blockbuster filmmaking.
Scale + Attention = Nolan’s Signature
To Murphy, what sets Nolan apart is how he juggles scale with craft. He can design massive action scenes, mind-bending visuals, non-linear narratives—and still bring you into characters’ inner life. It’s not spectacle for spectacle’s sake. It’s spectacle that asks you to feel, to think, and to connect.
This is visible in Oppenheimer, where time, memory, science, and human conflict intersect. It’s present in Inception where dream logic and emotional stakes weave together. It’s in Dunkirk, where tension and survival are felt before dialogue even speaks.
