Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh bring the glamour as they join Cillian Murphy and Matt Damon at Oppenheimer’s London premiere – despite having to hit the black carpet early due to writers’ strike clash
The star-studded cast of Christopher Nolan’s £81million film Oppenheimer walked out of the London screening prematurely on Thursday, in a show of support to the writers’ strike.
Leading man Cillian Murphy, 47, Emily Blunt, 40, Florence Pugh, 27, and Matt Damon, 52, hit the black carpet an hour earlier so as to avoid a clash after the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced it had voted in favour of taking action.
The actors walked the black carpet at 5.45pm at Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, before filmmaker Christopher told the audience: ‘they’re off to write their picket signs’.
The schedule conflict is no doubt a blow to the filmmaker, after it was hailed a ‘knockout film’ and tipped to win big at awards when it premiered in Paris earlier this week.
But Christopher vowed to stand by the Writers Guild as he said: ‘You’ve seen them here earlier on the red carpet.
Clash: The London premiere of Oppenheimer was moved forward an hour early on Thursday ahead of the writers strike (L-R Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh)
Leading man: Cillian, 47, joined his co-stars Emily, 40, and Florence, 27, on the black carpet at 5.45pm in Leicester Square to avoid a clash
Braless: Florence Pugh put on a daring display in a plunging burnt orange gown as she joined Emily on the black carpet
‘Unfortunately, they’re off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by Sag, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of the unions, and we support them.’
A whole host of Hollywood stars, including Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Mark Ruffalo, are poised to join writers on strike for the first time in 60 years.
Thousands of members of the Writers Guild of America have downed tools after talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers over pay fell apart.
At the center of the row is the rise of streaming – with the guild claiming that even as budgets have increased, writers’ share of that cash has consistently shrunk.
Undeterred by the earlier start time, the cast were dressed to the nines with Florence bringing the drama in a plunging burnt orange dress.
The actress made sure all eyes were on her in the plunging number which flashed some side boob and had a daring cut-out section across her midriff.
Emily, meanwhile, wowed in a black sequin gown which had skirt fringing and a cut-out section at the midriff.
Peaky Blinders star Cillian takes on the role of Dr J. Robert Oppenheimer, the ‘father of the atomic bomb’ and, after the Paris premiere earlier this week, critics have tipped it to win big.
Emily takes on the role of physicist Oppenheimer’s wife Kitty, while Florence plays Jean Tatlock, a psychiatrist, Communist Party member, and close friend of J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Florence ensured all eyes were on her as she posed with the cast. She added a dramatic and glamorous touch with the puffy skirt and accessorised with silver hoop earrings.
Emily, meanwhile, styled her blonde locks in soft waves and added a boost to her height with black heels.
The actress starred alongside Cillian in A Quiet Place Part 2 and the duo hugged on the black carpet.
The film is being adapted from the 2006 book American Prometheus: The Triumph And Tragedy Of J. Robert Oppenheimer, by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.
The book, which won the Pulitzer Prize, details Oppenheimer’s personal life and his time leading the Manhattan Project in the early and mid-1940s.
Rave reviews: Oppenheimer features an all-star cast and is led by Cillian Murphy, who plays the theoretical physicist who helped develop the bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer
Playful: Florence ensured all eyes were on her as she posed with the cast
Looking good: Undeterred by the earlier start time, the cast were dressed to the nines
Stunning: Florence wowed in a racy dress as she posed at the Oppenheimer London Premiere
Plunging: She had her ample assets on display in the dress
Show-stopping: She was every inch the red carpet queen
Having a laugh: Emily and Florence shared a laugh at the premiere
Gorgeous: Emily wowed in a black sequin gown with skirt fringing and a cut-out section at the midriff
Wow: It was adorned with sequins and had a swirling pattern on the hip and statement shoulder pads
Posing up a storm: Florence put on a daring display in the dress as she swished this way and that for the camera
Making a statement: The dress was backless and had a dramatic train
Bringing the fire: She posed up a storm for the cameras in the dress, which was a nod to the film plot
On cloud nine: Florence blew kisses to the crowd
Confident: She was in her element as she posed up a storm
Fun: The girls put on an animated display as they walked the black carpet
Say cheese: Florence posed for selfies with fans
Big names: The film is set to be released on July 21 and has already been hailed as a contender to scoop multiple awards
The film has already been hailed as a contender to scoop multiple awards.
Journalists have taken to Twitter to share their glowing reviews of the movie, with one critic describing how the film ‘split my brain open’ and ‘left me sobbing through the end credits’.
The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin wrote: ‘Am torn between being all coy and mysterious about Oppenheimer and just coming out and saying it’s a total knockout’
Elsa Keslassy of Variety added: ‘A sign that French audiences loved #Oppenheimer is that they stayed in front of the Grand Rex theater long after the film ended to debate about it!’
Friendship: Cillian and Emily, who also starred in A Quiet Place part two, enjoyed a proud moment on the black carpet at the screening
Matt showed off his cheeky side as he photobombed Emily
Born entertainer: Florence decided to give her own take on a traditional group shot
Star-studded cast: (Left to right) Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Cillian Murphy, Christopher Nolan, Robert Downey Jr. and Josh Hartnett
Date night: Lisa Snowdon and her partner George Smart arrived for the screening
Metallic: The presenter dazzled in a silver pleated dress
Attending a photo event on Wednesday, Oppenheimer star Matt said while everyone was hoping a strike could be averted, he said many actors need a fair contract to survive.
‘We ought to protect the people who are kind of on the margins,’ Damon told the AP.
Having a blast: Robert Downey Jr appeared in high spirits
Hollywood legend: Robert Downey Jr gave a thumbs up for the camera
Amorous: Rami Malek gave Robert a kiss on the cheek
Big moment: Rami gave a wave to fans who had travelled to get a glimpse of the star-studded cast
Say cheese! The cast put on a united front after being called for an earlier black carpet time
One to watch: Tamsin Egerton and Josh Hartnett also attended the premiere
Big moment: Christopher Nolan and family
Rare reviews: The cast and crew all posed for a photo ahead of the screening
Windswept: Sam Ryder’s hair looked a little wild as he posed for photos
Jovial spirits: Robert put on an animated display
READ MORE: Disney boss Bob Iger says actors are ‘not being realistic’ as they threaten to bring Hollywood to a halt
Disney boss Bob Iger slammed actors who are threatening to go on strike on Thursday, saying they ‘are not being realistic’ and are being ‘disruptive’ to the industry.
‘And 26,000 bucks a year is what you have to make to get your health insurance. And there are a lot of people whose residual payments are what carry them across that threshold.
‘And if those residual payments dry up, so does their health care. And that´s absolutely unacceptable. We can´t have that. So, we got to figure out something that is fair.’
It is the first time since 1960 that actors and writers picket film and television productions.
Members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since early May slowing the production of film and television series on both coasts and in production centers like Atlanta.
A spokesperson for SAG said: ‘After more than four weeks of bargaining, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) – the entity that represents major studios and streamers, including Amazon, Apple, Disney, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount, Sony and Warner Bros. Discovery – remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on the key issues that are essential to Sag-Aftra members.
‘The companies have refused to meaningfully engage on some topics and on others completely stonewalled us.
‘Until they do negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to reach a deal.
‘We have no choice but to move forward in unity, and on behalf of our membership, with a strike recommendation to our national board.
‘The board will discuss the issue this morning and will make its decision.’
Strike: A whole host of Hollywood stars are poised to join writers on strike for the first time in 60 years (pictured Tina Fey, center, and Fred Armisen, right, in May in New York)
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer: What do the critics think?
The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin
‘Am torn between being all coy and mysterious about Oppenheimer and just coming out and saying it’s a total knockout’
Vulture movie critic Bilge Ebiri
‘OPPENHEIMER is… incredible. A relentlessly paced, insanely detailed, intricate historical drama that builds and builds and builds until Nolan brings the hammer down in the most astonishing, shattering way.’
Jonathan Dean of The Sunday Times
‘Totally absorbed in OPPENHEIMER. An audacious, inventive, complex film to rattle its audience.’
The Associated Press’ film writer Lindsey Bahr
‘It is truly a spectacular achievement, in its truthful, concise adaptation, inventive storytelling and nuanced performances from Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon and the many others involved.’
Matt Maytum of Total Film
‘An epic historical drama but with a distinctly Nolan sensibility: the tension, structure, sense of scale, startling sound design, remarkable visuals. Wow.’
Elsa Keslassy of Variety
‘A sign that French audiences loved #Oppenheimer is that they stayed in front of the Grand Rex theater long after the film ended to debate about it!’
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