If, as all the forecasts indicate, Sunday the 10th finally takes the golden statuette, the story of Robert Downey jr. it will have all the elements to one day be explained in a film. In fact, the son of the director of the same name who debuted in one of his films at the age of 5, who obtained his first Oscar nomination at the age of 27 for his masterful performance in Chaplin, was very close to being considered uncontractable when he later succumbed to an addiction he carried from a very young age. But not only did he manage to bounce back, he was nominated for a second time in 2008 for Tropic Thunder, the same year that Iron Man made him one of Hollywood’s most popular and highest-paid stars. Just when he seemed to have it all, his portrayal of Lewis Strauss, the bureaucrat who hired Robert Oppenheimer to develop the atomic bomb and later accused him of treason, served to erase his iconic image Marvel and reaffirm that he is one of the best actors of his generation. So far, he has won the Golden Globe, the Critics Choice, the Bafta and the Screen Actors Guild award, in an unbeatable streak that makes him an absolute favourite.
What was the biggest challenge of joining Oppenheimer?
Simply the weight of the historical significance and the timeliness of what we were doing was something considerable. It seemed to me that it was very important that it fit us well and that it was a portrait adjusted to real events, a responsibility that made itself felt especially when it was our turn to film at the Institute of Advanced Studies, where the meetings and events we portray in the movie they really happened. What we did with Cillian and Emily was just try to honor the weight of the real story.
What was your first reaction when you read the script?
I met Chris and Emma at their house and read it cover to cover, and I think that was the first time I knew from the first few pages what the essence of the character was that they gave me. they offered, understanding that they had a real gift in front of them, because it was a very important story that had to be told. I still wonder how Chris and Emma realized that I was the right person and that I had what it took to play the role. Sometimes all it takes is for them to trust you so that you can try to overcome the biggest challenges. The truth is that I am very grateful, because opportunities like this do not present themselves to me every day.
What did you learn about the character in preparation for the film?
Lewis Strauss probably had a number of admirable talents and devoted his life to working for the good of society, but there is an element of tragedy in his story, how it all happened, which m ‘has led me to wonder what would have happened if there had not been this rivalry with Oppenheimer, if they had been able to work together. All this served me for my own musings about what is to come. It’s interesting how this man had to occupy the position of the villain, and that gave me a lot of material to work with.
Did the costumes and make-up help you understand the character better?
Of course, especially because the heads of all departments were exceptional people. I hadn’t worked with Ellen, the costume designer, since Chaplin, and that it was a pleasure to see her again. Also, Chris and Emma were really specific when it came to designing how this world should look. In this sense, I simply followed to the letter the vision that Chris proposed to us.
