Christopher Nolan on 'Oppenheimer' Oscar success: 'Sometimes you catch a wave'
Christopher Nolan was still sleeping when his film, “Oppenheimer,” landed a leading 13 Academy Awards nominations Tuesday
NEW YORK (AP) — Christopher Nolan was still sleeping when his film, “Oppenheimer," landed a leading 13 Academy Awards nominations Tuesday. Emma Thomas, Nolan's wife and producing partner, roused him after a flurry of congratulatory messages came through on her phone.
“Don’t take it as being blase,” Nolan told The Associated Press, laughing. “We just didn’t want to jinx anything. Watching the nominations was more than our nerves could take so we just had a restless night and slept through."
Nolan and Thomas didn't have much reason to be anxious. “Oppenheimer,” Nolan's sprawling American saga of J. Walter Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb, has more or less been the Oscar frontrunner since it made its acclaimed debut in late July. On Tuesday, it earned nominations for of its achievement, including acting nods for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt.
“Oppenheimer” was nominated for Nolan's direction and adapted screenplay; for Hoyte van Hoytema's cinematography; Jennifer Lame's editing; Ellen Mirojnick's costume design; Ruth De Jong and Claire Kaufman's production design; Luisa Abel's makeup and hairstyling; best sound; and Ludwig Göransson's score. It came one nomination shy of tying the record for best Oscar nominations ever.
