8 Ways Interstellar Would Have Been Different With Cillian Murphy Replacing Matthew McConaughey

Although Interstellar frequently ranks among Christopher Nolan’s best movies, there’s no denying that the project would’ve been completely different with Cillian Murphy in the lead role of Cooper instead of Matthew McConaughey. Murphy later went on to be Nolan’s leading man in Oppenheimer, but casting the actor earlier could’ve been a fascinating choice from Nolan that would’ve changed Interstellar on a fundamental level. There are plenty of differences between Murphy and McConaughey that would’ve had a massive impact on the movie.

The question comes after Murphy revealed he wished he’d been in Interstellar in an interview, claiming that it was an extremely moving story that had a huge effect on him. The actor is a long-time collaborator of Nolan’s, working with him on movies such as Inception and The Dark Knight previously, so it wouldn’t have been totally unprecedented for him to appear in Interstellar either. While it’s great that McConaughey was ultimately cast and given a chance to bring his own take on the character, it would’ve been fascinating to see how Murphy tackled it differently.

Murphy’s Subtler Acting Style Could’ve Made The Emotional Beats More Internal

The most obvious difference between Murphy and McConaughey is their distinctive acting styles, and this would’ve had an enormous impact on the way Interstellar tells its story and presents its emotional beats. McConaughey’s casting was an inspired choice because he’s very outward with his emotions, really projecting how Cooper feels through his voice and physicality. Murphy’s typical acting is much more internal and restrained, (which he displayed upon working with Nolan on Oppenheimer). The actor is known for expressing his emotions more subtly, which could’ve made Cooper a totally different character that audiences don’t completely understand at first.

Interstellar would’ve been a much more cerebral and challenging project with Murphy’s subtle acting style at the forefront, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Forcing the audience to consider how Cooper might be feeling instead of displaying it so openly might’ve made viewers connect with the character more. Murphy could’ve definitely brought this quality to the character.

Murphy’s Existing Friendship With Nolan Could’ve Made Interstellar More Personal

Another aspect that’s different about Murphy is that he’d already worked with Nolan several times in the past, most notably playing the character of Jonathan Crane in the Dark Knight trilogy. This previous experience could’ve made him a more fitting candidate for Interstellar, as he already understood how Nolan’s process works and his specific vision as a storyteller. He would’ve been a much safer choice, and while it’s clear that McConaughey absolutely nailed the role anyway, Murphy’s friendship with Nolan could’ve made Interstellar more personal and authentic – particularly since it’s a story that’s extremely important to both men regarding their own children and position as fathers.

Murphy’s Experience Playing Astronauts Could’ve Made Him More Believable In The Role

Over the course of his career, Cillian Murphy has starred in multiple sci-fi movies, including one from several years before Interstellar where he plays a scientist on a mission to save the sun from destruction. This movie, Danny Boyle’s Sunshine, explores very similar themes to Interstellar, with humankind fighting against nature to protect themselves and understand their place in the universe. Murphy must’ve gathered plenty of useful knowledge and experience on the Sunshine set that he could’ve brought to Interstellar, whereas McConaughey had never really done sci-fi on that scale before. This would’ve probably made Murphy more believable as Cooper, since he’d done something very similar in the past.

Murphy’s Casting Would’ve Caused A Dark Knight Reunion With Hathaway

Interestingly, Interstellar wasn’t the first time that Anne Hathway had worked with Nolan either, having played the character of Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises. This would’ve also made for an entertaining reunion between Murphy and Hathaway if he’d been cast in McConaughey’s place, potentially even giving the two characters an entirely new dynamic and chemistry. The pair didn’t share too many scenes in The Dark Knight Rises, but they likely got to know each other on-set and could’ve used this to develop the friendship between Cooper and Brand.

Murphy Would’ve Made A Slightly Younger Cooper

Although it’s not too much of a difference, Murphy is actually several years younger than McConaughey, so his version of Cooper would’ve been a slightly less mature and potentially more irresponsible one. It’s unclear whether Nolan would’ve actually rewritten Cooper to fit with Murphy’s younger age, but it definitely would’ve changed the character’s background at least. Maybe with a younger protagonist, Interstellar’s themes of climate change and protecting the next generation would’ve hit even harder. There are plenty of profound moments that make the audience think in Interstellar, and a younger Cooper would’ve really emphasized the risks of this mission.

Interstellar Could’ve Made Murphy A Leading Man

At the time of Interstellar’s release, McConaughey was a much more famous and popular actor than Murphy. The latter had scored several high-profile roles in movies such as 28 Days Later and Batman Begins, but he didn’t have the ‘leading man’ quality that he would eventually discover in Oppenheimer. Perhaps if he’d been cast as Cooper in Interstellar, Murphy’s career would’ve taken an entirely new direction and he’d have been cast in several other lead roles in the subsequent years. McConaughey’s career didn’t exactly need the boost, but Interstellar could’ve been a real breakthrough for Murphy.

Cooper’s Children May Have Been Cast Differently

Another aspect of Interstellar that may have been indirectly changed as a result of Murphy’s hypothetical casting is Cooper’s children: Nolan may have chosen different actors to play Murph and Tom to capture a better resemblance to their father. He probably wouldn’t have ousted Jessica Chastain from the role, but it’s certainly possible that younger versions of Cooper’s children might’ve been cast differently. This could’ve prevented actors such as Timothee Chalamet and Mackenzie Foy from starring in the project – all of whom brought something unique to their characters.

Murphy In Interstellar Might Have Prevented Murphy In Oppenheimer

Cillian Murphy is among the best actors in Oppenheimer, and he really uses the opportunity to prove the extent of his talent in any role. It’s been a huge moment for the actor, with many audiences finally realizing just how much he outshines the rest of the cast when given the opportunity. However, if Murphy had been cast in Interstellar all those years ago, it’s possible that Nolan wouldn’t have gone on to cast him as the lead in Oppenheimer. The director might’ve wanted to shake things up a little and work with somebody new, which could’ve prevented Murphy from ever landing the role that redefined his career.