Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve have plenty of overlap in terms of actors who have appeared in movies from both directors, but Oppenheimer gave one of them a brand new record. As two of the biggest directors in Hollywood, Nolan and Villeneuve’s movies are often compared to each other. There are plenty of ways in which the directors are similar and different, ranging from the types of movies they make to the level of success they’ve achieved. Actors’ interest in working with both has meant that everyone from Hugh Jackman to Timotheé Chalamet has appeared in one film from each.
Oppenheimer played a significant part in adding to the overlap between actors that Nolan and Villeneuve have both worked with. The movie marked the first collaboration between Emily Blunt and Nolan following her starring role in Villeneuve’s Sicario. It also sets up Florence Pugh to join the list once Dune: Part Two finally debuts. While Oppenheimer‘s cast also included several actors Nolan has worked with multiple times before, one of the smaller parts in the film made an actor stand alone when it comes to a Nolan and Villeneuve record.
9 Most Frequent Christopher Nolan Collaborators
Like many famous directors, Christopher Nolan is known for casting from a frequent pool of collaborators. Here are the stars he’s used the most.
David Dastmalchian Is The Only Actor To Be In Two Nolan & Villeneuve Movies
David Dastmalchian’s role as William Borden in Oppenheimer makes him the only actor to appear in multiple movies directed by Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve. The actor has a small but important role in Nolan’s J. Robert Oppenheimer biopic, as Borden is connected to conspiracies against Oppenheimer. It marked a reunion for Dastmalchian and Nolan, as the two previously worked together on The Dark Knight. Dastmalchian’s Oppenheimer role means he joins the list of actors who have appeared in at least two movies Nolan directed. In the 15 years between appearing in Christopher Nolan movies, he stayed busy with Villeneuve.
Denis Villeneuve began working with David Dastmalchian in 2013, as he played Bob Taylor, a suspect in the missing child case, in Prisoners. This was only a small role, but Dastmalchian left an imprint on audiences and the director. This led Villeneuve to cast him in Blade Runner 2049 a few years later as Coco, a medical examiner. Dastmalchian’s biggest role in a Denis Villeneuve movie came with Dune, as he portrayed the Harkonnen’s mental Piter de Vries. These roles are how he became the first actor to appear in two Nolan and Villeneuve movies with Oppenheimer.
Movie | Director | David Dastmalchian’s Role |
|---|---|---|
The Dark Knight (2008) | Christopher Nolan | Joker’s Thug |
Prisoners (2013) | Denis Villeneuve | Bob Taylor |
Blade Runner 2049 (2017) | Denis Villeneuve | Coco |
Dune (2021) | Denis Villeneuve | Piter de Vries |
Oppenheimer (2023) | Christopher Nolan | William Borden |
David Dastmalchian Needs Another Christopher Nolan Movie Role To Extend His Record
David Dastmalchian’s new record from Oppenheimer has no immediate threats of being lost unless Timotheé Chalamet is cast in the next Christopher Nolan movie. However, Dastmalchian’s return in whatever Nolan does next would also be significant. After setting this new record, another collaboration between the actor and director would make Dastmlachian the only actor to appear in three movies directed by Nolan and Villeneuve. Only time will tell if Christopher Nolan and David Dastmalchian work together again after Oppenheimer or if another actor can tie or beat this record.
Oppenheimer
- Release Date
- July 21, 2023
- Director
- Christopher Nolan
- Cast
- Cillian Murphy , Emily Blunt , Matt Damon , Robert Downey Jr. , Rami Malek , Florence Pugh
- Runtime
- 150 Minutes
