Emily Blunt & Matt Damon Couldn’t Handle Cillian Murphy’s Gaze – “It’s Like That Billie Eilish Song!”

Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer has already been hailed as a career-defining performance, earning him critical acclaim and, eventually, his first Oscar. But it turns out that the actor’s remarkable work on screen presented an unexpected challenge for his co-stars—his piercing blue eyes.

In an exclusive interview with People, Matt Damon, who portrayed General Leslie Groves, opened up about the difficulty of staying in character when facing Murphy’s intense gaze. “It’s a real problem when you’re doing scene work with Cillian,” Damon confessed. “Sometimes you find yourself just swimming in his eyes.” The depth of Murphy’s piercing stare was so captivating that it occasionally threw off even the most seasoned actors on set.

Emily Blunt, who played Oppenheimer’s wife, Kitty, added to the conversation, lightheartedly comparing Murphy’s gaze to the song “Ocean Eyes” by Billie Eilish. “We just hum it all day,” she quipped, illustrating just how mesmerizing Murphy’s eyes were to the cast.

Despite the praise, Murphy, ever the humble actor, tried to downplay the attention his eyes received. “They’re not even that blue!” he insisted, perhaps unaware of just how much his intensity was affecting his fellow performers.

But it wasn’t just his eyes that made Murphy’s performance so magnetic. His co-stars were also in awe of his dedication to the role. Blunt spoke about the enormity of what Murphy had to carry in the role of Oppenheimer, acknowledging the sheer weight of the character’s complexity. “The sheer volume of what he had to take on and shoulder is so monumental,” Blunt said. Murphy’s full immersion into the character often led him to isolate himself from the rest of the cast, as his focus remained solely on embodying Oppenheimer’s gravity. Damon revealed that Murphy even skipped cast dinners, stating, “He couldn’t. His brain was just too full.”

This unwavering commitment to the role ultimately paid off. Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of the atomic bomb’s creator was a career-best performance that captivated both critics and audiences. Rather than relying on heavy prosthetics or dramatic embellishments, Murphy’s subtle yet profound performance brought Oppenheimer to life in a way that was both authentic and compelling. This role not only earned him numerous accolades but also marked a significant milestone in his career, culminating in his first Oscar win.

Murphy’s portrayal of Oppenheimer proved that sometimes the most captivating performances are those that come from within, with nothing more than a pair of piercing eyes and a soul fully committed to the role.