‘Oppenheimer‘ has gone down in history as one of the greatest films made in 2023. It won several accolades, and is set to shine during the awards season as well. It is yet another addition to the legendary films made by Christopher Nolan, that will essentially be associated to his greatest works.
Even though the movie has worked wonders for the director’s career, it has seeming done exactly the opposite for his personal space. During a recent awards ceremony, actor Robert Downey Jr revealed how the movie’s success has been overwhelming for the director, especially in terms of making frequent public appearances — something that Nolan is weary of doing.
Related: BAFTA Awards 2024: ‘Oppenheimer’, ‘Poor Things’ And ‘Barbie’ Dominate Nominations List
Robert Downey Jr. Reveals How Christopher Nolan Is Suffering After The Success Of ‘Oppenheimer’
Director Christopher Nolan received the inaugural Sundance Institute Trailblazer Award in a glamorous ceremony at the opening night gala of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. This was yet another addition to a number of awards he is receiving for his blockbuster movie ‘Oppenheimer‘.
However, as the accolades pour in, Nolan is seemingly feeling the weight of success — or so thinks Robert Downey Jr. The actor presented the award to Nolan during the ceremony in Park City, Utah. Downey, a “multihyphenate” himself, joked about his close relationship with Nolan as he took the stage to present the award.
“Confidentially, he needs his spirits lifted,” Downey said about Nolan. “He’s a bit blue because a terrible tragedy has befallen him. I don’t mean to bring this up, and I know it’s very personal: He has become recognizable on the street. He recoils as though from a hot flame from this new and most unwelcome reality,” Downey said.
“We have become extremely close — as in we had dinner on location once,” Downey continued, further revealing how an introverted Nolan recently asked him if “death by schmoozing” was possible.
In case you missed it: “Amusing As A Bed-Locked Fart”: Robert Downey Jr. Hilariously Reads Out Critics’ Notes Over The Years After Winning Critics Choice Awards For ‘Oppenheimer’
Nolan Recalls How Sundance Film Festival Kickstarted His Career
Nolan accepted the award, and expressed gratitude to the Sundance Film Festival for kickstarting his career with the 2000 film ‘Memento’. Speaking about the festival, he said, “It’s two weeks or so in which independent filmmaking doesn’t just mean a business model. It means an aspiration for filmmakers. It means that as directors and writers and actors, you’re treated as artists. You are given pride of authorship in what you’ve done.”
The Sundance Institute also awarded Kristen Stewart with the Visionary Award, presented by her ‘Adventureland‘ costar Jesse Eisenberg. Eisenberg praised Stewart as “one of these rare performers that is so committed, so authentic, so feeling, that you want to make sure she’s okay at the end of the day.”
Other notable honorees at the event include Celine Song, writer-director of ‘Past Lives‘, Maite Alberdi, director of ‘Eternal Memory‘, and Pat Mitchell, former Sundance Institute board chair, who received the Vanguard Award for Philanthropy.
You might also like to read:
