Emily Blunt Says Cillian Murphy 'Smashed His Head Open' While FilmingOppenheimer: 'They Had to Glue His Head Shut!'

Mar. 15, 2025

Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy.Photo:Gareth Cattermole/BAFTA/Getty; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Gareth Cattermole/BAFTA/Getty; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Cillian Murphysuffered an injury while filmingOppenheimer.

During an appearance on Thursday’sJimmy Kimmel Live!alongside hisOppenheimercostarsEmily Blunt, 41, andRobert Downey Jr., 58, Murphy, 47, recalled how a present that Blunt gave him backfired.

Blunt laughed as she toldKimmelhow she’d bought the Irish actor — who took on the lead role of J. Robert Oppenheimer inChristopher Nolan’s biopic about the creation of the atomic bomb — a special pillow to help him get a good night’s sleep.

“I just felt Cillian needed, even more than food, was sleep on this movie,” she said, referencing the actor’s weight loss for the role. “So I got him this very beautiful pillow that I’m obsessed with these pillows, it’s a Hästens pillow. I gave him this pillow, but… do you mind if I tell the story?” she asked her costar.

TheDevil Wears Pradastar went on, “He was really luxuriating in this pillow one night, and he woke up in the middle of the night, this is what he told me the next day.”

“And he went to fluff himself back down in the pillow, misjudged where it was, and smashed his head open on the bedside table. So he came to work, and they had to glue his head shut!” the actress, who stars as Kitty Oppenheimer, added.

Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy in ‘Oppenheimer’.Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures

Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures

Murphy recalled, “I was a bit shocked you know! I was having a great sleep, and I had this amazing pillow, strange bed, strange table, [and] bang.”

Makeup artist Luisa Abel ended up coming to the star’s rescue. “We were getting up at before it was bright, like at 2 a.m. or something, 3 a.m. So I called her then, and I just came in, and then she glued my head, and covered it all up, and you don’t even see it in the movie, I think,” Murphy shared.

Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy.Michael Buckner/Penske Media via Getty

Michael Buckner/Penske Media via Getty

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The trio’sJimmy Kimmel Live!appearance came after they discussed the film and their friendship forPEOPLE’s annual Oscar portfolio.

Murphy is up for the Best Actor Oscar, while Blunt and Downey Jr. received nominations in the Best Supporting Actress and Actor categories ahead ofthe ceremonyon Mar. 10.

While he is thrilled to get the Academy Award nomination, Downey Jr., who plays Lewis Strauss, insisted the true prize has been getting to spend time with the film’s cast. “The reward was the experience. There is a bond and we have just huge respect for each other,” Downey Jr. told PEOPLE of his costars.

Oppenheimeris also up for Best Picture among many other awards at this year’s ceremony.

source: people.com