Florence Pugh Reveals Why Christopher Nolan Once Apologised To Her About Oppenheimer

The Oscar nominee plays Jean Tatlock in the epic historical drama.
Open Image Modal
Florence Pugh at the London premiere of Oppenheimer
Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Florence Pugh has revealed that Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan once apologised to her about the size of her part in the film.

The Oscar nominee plays Jean Tatlock in the epic historical drama, which is based on the life and career of J Robert Oppenehimer, whose work led to the creation of the atomic bomb.

And while Florence appears in one of the film’s most talked-about scenes, it seems the movie’s director was a little concerned he may have underused the Midsommar actor.

I didn’t really know what was going on or what it was that was being made, except I knew that Chris really, really wanted me to know that it wasn’t a very big role, and he understands if I don’t want to come near it,” she told MTV UK

“And I was like, ‘Doesn’t matter. Even if I’m a coffee maker at a café in the back of the room, let’s do it’.”

Florence continued: “I remember he apologised about the size of the role. I was like, ‘Please don’t apologise’.

“And then he said, ‘We’ll send you the script, and honestly, you just read it and decide if it’s like… I completely understand the sizing thing’. And I remember that evening when I got the script being like, ‘I don’t need to… I know I’m going to do it’.” 

Open Image Modal
Christopher Nolan
Dominik Bindl via Getty Images

Much has been made in the media about the “prolonged” nudity involved in Florence’s key Oppenheimer scenes – with the sequence being digitally altered for some international markets.

Florence’s co-star Cillian Murphy previously said of the scenes: “When you see it, it’s so fucking powerful. And they’re not gratuitous. They’re perfect.”

Oppenheimer is still in UK cinemas now.