Irish actor Cillian Murphy won best actor for playing theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, leader of the U.S. effort in the 1940s to create a weapon that ended World War Two. “Oppenheimer” director Christopher Nolan took home the directing Oscar.
“We made a film about the man who created the atomic bomb, and
for better or worse, we are living in Oppenheimer’s world,” Murphy said as he held his trophy on stage. “So I would really like to dedicate this to the peacemakers everywhere.”
A three-hour historical drama about science and politics, “Oppenheimer” became an unlikely box office hit and grossed USD 953.8 million, in addition to widespread critical praise.
It was the first of Nolan’s films to win Best Picture. The director has previously won acclaim for “The Dark Knight,” the Batman trilogy, “Inception,” “Memento,” and other
movies.
As he accepted his gold statuette, Nolan noted that the movie business was a century old and still evolving.
“To know you think I’m a meaningful part of this means the world to me,” he said.
American actor James Wood tweeted:
