Cillian Murphy breaks silence on Oppenheimer's controversial sex scene

Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer is making waves across the world. Helmed by Christopher Nolan, the atomic bomb film received encouraging reviews and has earned $241 million worldwide since its release on July 21. However, a particular sex scene in the new release has stirred quite a controversy and Murphy has finally spoken on the same.

3 things you need to know

• Oppenheimer hit cinema halls alongside Barbie.
• It is based on American Prometheus, a 2005 biography.
• The film narrates the story of theoretical physicist and Father of the Atomic Bomb J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Murphy opines on sex scene

Even though Oppenheimer was critically praised, a sex scene involving the titular character (Murphy) and Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh) created a lot of negative buzz. The presence of the Bhagavad Gita in the sequence added more fuel to the fire. Several historians and Bollywood actors lashed out at the Oppenheimer makers for the Gita sex scene. Lead actor Cillian Murphy has finally spoke out about the sequence.

(Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer | Image: Twitter)

Without referring to the Gita, Cillian Murphy told GQ that the scene was “vital” to the plot. “I think the relationship that he has with Jean Tatlock is one of the most crucial emotional parts of the film,” he noted. The Peaky Blinders star pointed out that if the characters are “key to the story,” the scene was “worthwhile.”

“Listen, no one likes doing them (sex scenes), they're the most awkward possible part of our job. But sometimes you have to get on with it,” he quipped.

What does Murphy think of Oppenheimer, the man?

The magazine also asked Murphy if he is judgmental of Oppenheimer to which the actor replied that he won’t offer a comment on that. The actor said that he does not “want to prejudice anybody's point of view,” and audiences should assess the type of man Oppenheimer was.

“What I will say, is that Oppenheimer – Chris called him the most important man that ever lived, whatever you think about that. That's up to you,” the Irish actor said. He highlighted though that the present world “was changed by Oppenheimer. We're living in a nuclear age because of what Oppenheimer did.”