August 1st 2023.
David Baddiel has shared his thoughts on Cillian Murphy's latest movie role in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. The blockbuster landed in cinemas last week, with the Peaky Blinders star, 47, portraying physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who spent years developing and designing the atomic bomb during World War II.
However, Baddiel has hit out at Murphy's casting for the fact that the Irish movie star is not of Jewish descent like Oppenheimer himself was. The Jewish comedian, 59, suggested in a new article that he isn’t totally on board with Murphy portraying ‘the father of the atomic bomb’.
Writing for The Jewish Chronicle, Baddiel penned an article titled: Oppenheimer liked to pretend he wasn’t Jewish — like the film. He discussed the idea of 'authenticity casting', which he believes doesn't apply to Jews, and what it means for how people see Jews. He added that there is a 'more complex issue thrown up by the casting in Oppenheimer', as Tom Conti, who plays Jewish theoretical physicist Albert Einstein in the film, isn’t Jewish either.
Baddiel recalled the reaction to his initial calling out of the casting on social media, where people argued that 'It's called acting, mate'. He acknowledged the point, but also argued that any biopic on such a serious subject as the creation of the atomic bomb needs to delve deep into the psychological underpinnings of the narrative. He then proceeded to list a few Jewish physicists whose work was vital to the discovery of nuclear fission, and therefore to the Manhattan Project.
He argued that the film lacks any profound sense that ethnicity was key to who Oppenheimer was. In conclusion, Baddiel explained his reasons for not using Oppenheimer's full first name — Julius — in his writing, as Oppenheimer himself wanted people to think he wasn't Jewish.
This isn't the first time Baddiel has voiced his thoughts on casting non-Jewish stars in Jewish roles. He previously talked to The Times about 'authenticity casting' and claimed it no longer exists. He suggested that casting directors are now frightened to cast except in line with the minority they are casting, but not so worried about Jews.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
