Oppenheimer's Christopher Nolan told star not to pluck eyebrows
Benny Safdie had to grow out his eyebrows while portraying theoretical physicist Edward Teller in Oppenheimer.
Directed by The Dark Knight trilogy's Christopher Nolan, the movie charts J Robert Oppenheimer's involvement with the Manhattan Project, which ultimately led to the creation of the atom bomb.
Arguably better known for his skills behind the camera alongside brother Josh – the pair directed Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems to much applause – Safdie has told Vulture all about his real-life character's bushy look.
Related: Does Oppenheimer have a post-credit scene?
"I am proud to say that it's all my eyebrows," he began.
"Every once in a while I have a straggler that I'll just pluck out, cause it looks a little too crazy. But Chris said, 'Don't do that. Let's just let it go crazy.' I had the most insane eyebrows for months and months, and you just had to brush them out and then they shined in all their glory."
Away from the follicular side of his Oppenheimer job, Safdie also had to master a Hungarian-American accent.
"The accent was something I was so nervous about," admitted the actor. "I remember Chris asking me, 'How's the accent coming?' And I'm just like, 'Oh my God, how am I going to accomplish this?'
Related: What happened to Lewis Strauss after the events of Oppenheimer?
"I didn't know if he was going to want me to do it. But he sent me all of these interviews and we talked about how Teller speaks and who he is. It was a long process of working together to really nail it down.
"I remember finally I was like, 'You know what? I could sound crazy, but I don't care. This is what Teller sounds like and I'm just going to do it.' I sent a voice memo where I just narrated what my breakfast was and how Teller really liked pineapple."
Oppenheimer is out now in cinemas.
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