Oppenheimer,Christopher Nolan’s historical epic about Robert Oppenheimer, has been praised by even his skeptics as a major accomplishment that will be closely tied to his legacy. The film follows Oppenheimer’s work on the Manhattan Project, his development of and subsequent regrets about the atomic bomb, and his fall from grace and revocation of his security clearance. Widely considered among the all-time best filmmakers, Nolan has done action, science fiction, and thriller films better than almost anyone else. However, a historical epic that tackles the totality of mankind’s penchant for violence is virtually unlike anything he’s ever done before.
As with any Nolan film,Oppenheimerfeatures an absolutely stacked cast of some of Hollywood’s biggest names. The film remains firmly focused onCillian Murphy, but many supporting players steal the spotlight more than once. Some only appear in a few scenes, but others are prominent figures in the story, becoming among the best characters in Nolan’s oeuvre.These supporting characters are the most significant inOppenheimer; the best stand out because of their impact on the story and the brilliant performances of the actors portraying them,
Oppenheimer
10Benny Safdie
Character: Edward Teller
Nolan isn’t just a director that great actors want to work with; his talents often attract the interest of his fellow filmmakers.Actor and directorBenny Safdie, who co-directed bothGood TimeandUncut Gemswith his brotherJosh Safdie, appears as the Hungarian physicist Edward Teller, a member of Oppenheimer’s team who has his own motivations for pursuing nuclear research.
Teller is initially friendly with Oppenheimer. Their relationship deteriorates after Oppenheimer warns Teller that escalating the production of nuclear weapons will only lead to an increase in devastation. For all terms and purposes, Teller is a minor antagonist inOppenheimer, and Safdie does a brilliant job portraying the character as an ambitious and bellic scientist. Because of the character’s nature,Teller is among the most unlikable characters inOppenheimer, thanks largely to Safdie’s brief but memorable performance.
9Kenneth Branagh
Character: Neils Bohr
Another great director who has become a favorite of Nolan’s isOscar-winnerKenneth Branagh. The acclaimed multi-hyphenatereturned to work with Nolan inOppenheimerafter appearing in powerful supporting roles inTenetandDunkirk.Branagh plays Neils Bohr, a brilliant scientist who also served as Oppenheimer’s mentorand a character who makes the film’s expositional chunks more interesting thanks to his charismatic personality.
Branagh has a hit-and-miss track record with accents, but he remarkably pulls off Bohr’s Danish voice. He appropriately delivers some of the film’s most powerful lines, as he fears the destructive capabilities that Oppenheimer’s curiosity may yield.
8Matt Damon
Character: Leslie Groves
Matt Damoncan always be trusted to give a great performance, andOppenheimerallows him the chance to play a military role in a World War II epic that’s much better than some of his previous dalliances with the genre. Damon appears as Leslie Groves, the United States Army Corps of Engineers officer responsible for hiring Oppenheimer and approving his security clearance, accelerating the process of building Los Alamos.
Groves is a fascinating character; understanding only a certain amount of the technical details that go into creating a weapon of this magnitude, he effectively works as an audience surrogate. AlthoughOppenheimeris a very cerebral and tense biopic, it has a healthy flow of humor, courtesy of Damon’s performance as Groves. While far from the film’s most remarkable supporting player,Damon’s Groves is a valuable addition toOppnheimer’sensemble.
7Alden Ehrenreich
Character: Unnamed Senate Aide
It’s a shame thatSolo: A Star Wars StoryderailedAlden Ehrenreich’s once-promising career because he’s proven to be such an excellent actor in nearly everything else he’s ever done. InOppenheimer, Ehrenreich appears as an unnamed Senate aide to Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), who helps guide him through the process of being approved to be the new Secretary of Commerce.
Ehrenreich is the definition of a scene-stealing supporting performance inOppenheimer, pulling focus every time he’s on camera. Like Groves, Ehrenreich’s aide is an audience surrogate, showing the same shock and awe as the audience when Strauss' real motivations are revealed. Cheeky, sassy, and willful, Ehnreich’s aide even gets one last jab at Strauss before exiting the film.
6Jason Clarke
Character: Roger Robb
Oppenheimer faced a lot of obstacles throughout his career. Many in the audience might’ve gone into the film expecting the bomb’s development to be the main focus, but it’s only part of the film’s narrative. The other part focuses on the government’s hounding of Oppenheimer for his political connections to the Communist Party. He is subjected to a hearing, where United States attorney Roger Robb (Jason Clarke) acts as a fierce and unforgiving opponent.
The ever-underrated Jason Clarkeis genuinely unsettling in the role. The acclaimed actor makes the audience feel uncomfortable as his investigation robs Oppenheimer of any personal dignity or sense of pride.Roger Robb might beOppenheimer’ssecret weapon, with Clarke delivering a ferocious and striking performance that’s both unlikable and intimidating.
5Emily Blunt
Character: Kitty Oppenheimer
Nolan is often criticized for the lack of strong female roles in his films. However, he breaks this notorious cycle inOppenheimer, thanks toEmily Blunt’s role as Kitty Oppenheimer. Blunt’s performance goes far beyond the standard “wife” character that is often treated as secondary by most historical biopics. Kitty is ferocious, restless, and demanding, a determined woman with the unenviable job of watching over the couple’s children while her husband plays with forces that can never be predicted.
By now,Emily Blunt is highly regarded as an actress, andOppenheimerproves her ability to do the most with the least. Silence is often her power, although she also shines during Kitty’s most elaborate moments.The two most cathartic and satisfying scenes inOppenheimerbelong to Blunt’s Kitty, with the actress elevating what could easily be a small role.
4Florence Pugh
Character: Jean Tatlock
Academy Award nomineeFlorence Pughco-stars inOppenheimeras psychiatrist and Communist Party member Jean Tatlock. A student and Oppenheimer’s mistress, Tatlock is a spin on the traditional femme fatale that Nolan so loves to include in his movies.
Pugh brings a real sense of tragedy to the film with her performance. The actress does a great job at showing the personal struggles that Tatlock deals with and gives remarkable insight into the nature of mental illness. The role is challenging and all too short, but Pugh, like Blunt, elevates the material.Pugh’s scenes opposite Murphy areOppenheimer’smost intimate and emotionaland should finally put to rest the common complaint about Nolan’s films being too cold and clinical.
3Josh Hartnett
Character: Ernest Lawrence
Between the sixth season ofBlack Mirror,Guy Ritchie’s action comedyOperation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre,and nowOppenheimer, 2023 seems to be the year of theJosh Hartnettcomeback. Hartnett appears as Ernest Lawrence, a personal friend and co-worker of Oppenheimer’s who worked hand in hand with him on the Manhattan Project.
Lawrence is often the only friendly face that Oppenheimer sees when faced with the skepticism of the United States military and his research team. The two friends are often in stark disagreement over the role of politics in the laboratory, adding another intriguing layer to their dynamic.Hartnett is a revelation inOppenheimer, giving a subtle but powerful performance that effortlessly shines brightly despite the film’s crowded ensemble.Hartnett’s work inOppenheimeris nuanced, revealing, sympathetic, and crucial, easily becoming one of the film’s best performances.
2Tom Conti
Character: Albert Einstein
Surprisingly, there have not been many cinematic representations of Albert Einstein, as perhaps few actors would want to take on the role of maybe the smartest man who ever lived. However, Einstein plays a major role inOppenheimer, acting as a guide and peer to Oppenheimer and refusing to work on any weapons project for the United States military out of fear of escalation.
Tom Contidevelops an interesting take on Einstein, who has already earned his reputation as a genius during the film’s events of the film. As such,Conti is playing the audience’s idea of Einstein as much as a role that benefitsOppenheimer’sstory. It’s a tall order, and Conti rises to the challenge, offering a soft-spoken, introverted, instantly memorable take on the genius.Oppenheimerhas many larger roles, but Conti’s Einstein is among the few that stay with the audience after the credits roll.
1Robert Downey Jr.
Character: Lewis Strauss
It’s a shame that Downey Jr.’s loyalty to the Marvel Cinematic Universe prevented him from appearing in virtually any other film for over a decade. However, like a warrior dying to get back to the battlefield, Downey comes swinging in full force inOppenheimer, proving that his versatility has not gone anywhere. The two-time Oscar nominee plays the senior United States Atomic Energy Commission officer Lewis Strauss.
Nolan’s films typically have a major twist in their third act, andOppenheimeris no exception. The revelation that Strauss has been harboring a secret hatred for Oppenheimer for decades results in one of the most shocking sequences in the director’s filmography. Downey changes the tone of the film instantly, delivering a chilling portrayal of envy and pettiness that is both compelling and detestable.Strauss isOppenheimer’sde-facto villain and the role that will surely give Downey the awards recognition he deserves.
Oppenheimeris currently playing in the United States and Canada.
