Warning: This post contains spoilers for Oppenheimer.
Summary
- Josh Hartnett's portrayal of Ernest Lawrence in Oppenheimer showcases his versatility and range as an actor, allowing him to authentically depict the character's moral conflicts and dilemmas.
- Compared to his role in Pearl Harbor, where his character's arc primarily focused on romantic and nationalist conventions, Hartnett's performance in Oppenheimer benefits from the moral complexities and real-life undertones of Lawrence's characterization.
- Hartnett's experience and growth as an actor over the years make him better equipped to delve into a broader range of emotions and deliver a compelling performance in Oppenheimer, marking a significant improvement from his previous World War II film.
Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer brings a full circle to Josh Hartnett's acting career after 22 years - here's how. In Oppenheimer, Josh Hartnett plays nuclear physicist Ernest Lawrence, who is not only J. Robert Oppenheimer's associate at the Manhattan Project but also a close friend. As seen in Oppenheimer, Lawrence was the head of the Radiation Lab during the atomic bomb's development in the Manhattan Project and, unlike Oppenheimer, he was a strong proponent of the hydrogen bomb.
However, despite their difference in opinions, Lawrence does not testify at Oppenheimer's security hearing toward the movie's ending by claiming that he has fallen ill. Ernest Lawrence's ending scene and his previous contributions to the Manhattan Project make him one of the memorable ing characters in Oppenheimer and Josh Hartnett perfectly captures all the conflicts and moral dilemmas the character faces towards the end. However, long before Hartnett portrayed Ernest Lawrence in Oppenheimer, he had appeared in another renowned World War II movie.
Oppenheimer Returns Josh Hartnett To World War II After Pearl Harbor
22 years before Josh Hartnett played Ernest Lawrence in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, he appeared as Captain Danny Walker in Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor. Like Oppenheimer, Pearl Harbor is also based on a true World War II event, but the movie fictionalizes Danny Walker's characterization and his romantic developments with Evelyn Johnson. As Oppenheimer establishes, Josh Hartnett's Ernest Lawrence was a key figure in the atomic bomb's development during the Manhattan Project. Pearl Harbor's Danny Walker, in contrast, was a fictional character placed in the backdrop of the real Pearl Harbor tragedy. Nonetheless, since both movies revolve around World War II, Oppenheimer marks Josh Harnett's return to the sub-genre after more than two decades.
Josh Hartnett's Oppenheimer Performance Is So Much Better Than Pearl Harbor
While an actor's commitment to a given role is one of the primary factors contributing to their performance in a movie, their character's development and depth within the script often determine what they can bring to the big screen. Owing to this, although Josh Hartnett's character in Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor had emotionally stirring moments, Danny Walker's arc primarily revolved around the romantic and nationalist conventions of a heroic World War II character. This seemingly limited his ability to deliver a compelling performance in Pearl Harbor.
In Oppenheimer, Josh Hartnett's screen time may have been limited compared to Danny Walker's in Pearl Harbor. However, the moral complexities and real-life undertones in Ernest Lawrence's characterization allow Josh Hartnett to imbue his performance with authenticity. They also help him showcase his true versatility and range as an actor, allowing him to portray multiple layers of conflicts Lawrence faces when he finds himself at odds with his close friend. Not to mention, since experience is the best teacher, Josh Harnett is a more seasoned actor in Oppenheimer and better equipped with the tools to into a broader range of emotions and convincingly play Ernest Lawrence.
