Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy have collaborated on six films, their most recent offering being Oppenheimer. Their partnership dates back to the early 2000s when Nolan first saw Murphy in a promotional image for 28 Days Later, where he was mesmerized by the actor’s “eyes and appearance.” At this time, Nolan began searching for actors to cast in Batman Begins and wanted to know more about Murphy, so he set up a meeting.
“When I met him, he didn’t strike me as necessarily right for Batman,” Nolan told GQ about meeting Murphy for the first time. “But there was just a vibe — there are people you meet in your life who you just want to stay connected with, work with, you try to find ways to create together.”
Why Did Christopher Nolan Cast Cillian Murphy in Batman Begins?
It’s well-known that Murphy first auditioned for the role of Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins. There are videos of Murphy’s screen test, including a scene with the actor wearing the Batsuit. Even though Murphy was not the fit for Batman, Nolan knew he had something special with the Irish actor.
“He first performed as Bruce Wayne, and I saw the crew stop and pay attention in a way that I had never seen before, and really never seen since,” Nolan said. “And it was this electricity just coming off the guy, it was an incredible energy.”
Nolan quickly pivoted from wanting Murphy to play the hero to cast him as the villain, a role typically reserved for A-list stars. But Nolan knew Murphy was the perfect actor to play the antagonist in Batman Begins.
“And so I called some executives, and they were impressed enough with him that they let me cast him as Scarecrow,” Nolan added. “Those Batman villains at the time had only ever been played by huge stars — Jack Nicholson, Arnold Schwarzenegger. So, it’s just a testament to his raw talent.”
After Batman Begins, Murphy appeared in five more of Nolan’s films: The Dark Knight, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Dunkirk, and Oppenheimer.
