Cillian Murphy Oppenheimer salary: How much is the actor getting paid?

The hype for Oppenheimer is at its absolute pinnacle. The upcoming film, scheduled to be released on July 21 soon worldwide, is directed by none other than Christopher Nolan. Irish actor Cillian Murphy will play the titular American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, aka "Father of Atomic Bomb."

Cillian Murphy was reportedly paid $5 million for his portrayal of the noted American physicist, according to Bolavip.

Alongside Murphy, the film stars Emily Blunt as Katherine "Kitty" Oppenheimer, Matt Damon as Leslie Groves, Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss, Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence, Casey Affleck as Boris Pash, Rami Malek as David Hill, Kenneth Branagh as Niels Bohr, and several others in supporting roles.

---

Cillian Murphy made $5 million for starring in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer

Cillian Murphy has appeared in a couple of director Christopher Nolan's films before, including Dunkirk, Inception, and Batman Begins. However, this is the first time he is playing a lead role in the latter's project.

According to Bolavip, the actor reportedly made $5 million from the upcoming movie. Below are the salaries of some major actors from the film:

• Emily Blunt as Kitty – $4 million
• Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss – $4 million
• Matt Damon as Leslie Groves – $3 million
• Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock – $1 million
• Benny Safdie as Edward Teller – $700,000
• Michael Angarano as Robert Serber – $500,000
• Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence – $400,000

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Murphy revealed that he had always desired to play the lead in one of Nolan's films:

"I have always said publicly and privately, to Chris, that if I’m available and you want me to be in a movie, I’m there. I don’t really care about the size of the part. But deep down, secretly, I was desperate to play a lead for him. “We have this long-standing understanding and trust and shorthand and respect. It felt like the right time to take on a bigger responsibility. And it just so happened that it was a f---ing huge one"

He continued:

"You realize this is a huge responsibility. He was complicated and contradictory and so iconic. But you know you’re with one of the great directors of all time. I felt confident going into it with Chris. He’s had a profound impact on my life, creatively and professionally. He’s offered me very interesting roles over and I’ve found all of them really challenging. And I just love being on his sets."

---

Synopsis of the upcoming film

The official synopsis of the film reads as:

"Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer is an IMAX®-shot epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it. The film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Emily Blunt as his wife, biologist and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer."

It further continues:

"Oscar® winner Matt Damon portrays General Leslie Groves Jr., director of the Manhattan Project, and Robert Downey, Jr. plays Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin."

---

Produced by Emma Thomas, Charles Roven, and Christopher Nolan; the upcoming film will release in theaters worldwide on July 21, 2023.