Cillian Murphy reacts to intimate scenes with Florence Pugh being included in Oppenheimer

Cillian Murphy has shared his views on the sex scenes in his latest flick Oppenheimer, saying they were ‘vital’ to the story.

Oppenheimer, from legendary director Christopher Nolan, stars Murphy as American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in developing the atomic bomb.

Alongside Murphy, Midsommar star Florence Pugh plays his former lover Jean Tatlock, while Emily Blunt stars as Oppenheimer’s wife Katherine ‘Kitty’ Oppenheimer.

The movie features ‘prolonged full-frontal’ nudity from Murphy and Pugh as well as sex scenes - which have become a bit of a talking point with audiences and critics.

However, Murphy has since defended the use of sex scenes in the movie - even though he admits that ‘no one likes doing them’.

Universal Pictures

In an interview with GQ, Murphy was asked if he felt that sex scenes were ‘necessary in films at all’, to which he replied: “I think they were vital in this movie.

“I think the relationship that he has with Jean Tatlock is one of the most crucial emotional parts of the film. I think if they're key to the story then they're worthwhile.

“Listen, no one likes doing them, they're the most awkward possible part of our job. But sometimes you have to get on with it.”

In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Murphy said the scenes were written ‘deliberately’ by Nolan so the movie would get an R-rating.

He explained: “Those scenes were written deliberately. He knew that those scenes would get the movie the rating that it got.”

He went on to heap praise on his co-star Pugh for her performance in the scenes.

Universal Pictures.

"I think when you see it, it’s so f***ing powerful," he said.

"They’re not gratuitous. They’re perfect. And Florence is just amazing.”

While Nolan has also shared his reasoning for including the scenes - saying they were an ‘essential’ part of the story.

In an interview with Insider, he said: “When you look at Oppenheimer’s life and you look at his story, that aspect of his life, the aspect of his sexuality, his way with women, the charm that he exuded, it’s an essential part of his story.

“It felt very important to understand their relationship and to really see inside it and understand what made it tick without being coy or allusive about it, but to try to be intimate, to try and be in there with him and fully understand the relationship that was so important to him.”