A blast from the past

The female characters in the movie are just as compelling as the male characters. For instance, Katherine "Kitty" Oppenheimer was a biologist and botanist who had been married three times before crossing paths with J. Robert Oppenheimer at a garden party in San Francisco. Jean Tatlock, played by actress Florence Pugh, is a Stanford-educated psychiatrist who engages in an intense, yet tortured, romance with the scientist.

Commenting on the two characters, Nolan said he believes that Katherine Oppenheimer was a complex and challenging individual, while Tatlock had a profound impact on Oppenheimer's life, becoming an intense obsession.

Speaking about why he chose Irish actor Murphy for the lead role, Nolan said that he has worked with him for around 20 years. Although Murphy hadn't played a lead in any of their previous projects, the director said he considers Murphy one of the finest actors of his generation, believing that he is capable of perfectly combining his acting talent with the demands of his role.

Currently, Oppenheimer holds an impressive score of 8.9 out of 10 on China's popular review aggregator Douban, making it one of the top-rated blockbusters of China's summer season.

Contact the writer at xufan@chinadaily.com.cn