9 Most Frequent Christopher Nolan Collaborators

Like many famous directors, Christopher Nolan has earned a reputation for frequently collaborating with the same actors. For his work in contemporary film, Nolan has quickly become known as one of the best directors of all time. He is one of the most desirable filmmakers for actors to work with, often earning them widespread acclaim for their performances. He’s collaborated with more than just actors, famously working with composer Hans Zimmer several times and writing films alongside his brother, Jonathan Nolan.

Other actors have appeared in multiple Christopher Nolan films in more minor roles. Russ Fega and Christopher Nolan’s uncle, John Nolan, have appeared in five and four Nolan films, respectively, though in minimal roles. Morgan Freeman has also technically been in three Nolan movies, though all were as the same character as Lucius Fox in The Dark Knight trilogy. Specifically looking at stars who played prominent roles in multiple Christopher Nolan movies, he’s had several collaborators.

9 Matt Damon

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In three decades of working in the film industry, Matt Damon has appeared in many great films, collaborating with great directors like Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Christopher Nolan. Matt Damon has yet to play a main character in a Nolan movie, but his supporting role in Interstellar earned him a call for Oppenheimer. While not as celebrated for his performance as other supporting actors like Robert Downey Jr., Damon’s Leslie Groves brought a vital levity and enjoyable chemistry to the film.

8 Joseph Gordon-Levitt

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Joseph Gordon-Levitt hit his stride in Hollywood in the early 2010s, appearing in several high-profile films, including supporting roles in Inception and The Dark Knight Rises. He’s endearing as Blake in the latter, playing one of Batman’s most firm and consistent supporters throughout the movie, with the ending hinting that he’d be taking on the mantle after Bruce Wayne’s exit. In Inception, Gordon-Levitt was praised for his performance as Arthur despite not having much more than expository dialogue to work with, and his stunts in the zero-gravity hallway fight scene are impressive.

7 Anne Hathaway

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Anne Hathaway has played the female lead in two Christopher Nolan movies, building on her prosperous, financially, and critically successful career. Her films have grossed nearly $7 billion at the box office, with The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar making up a big chunk of those numbers. Hathaway is exceptional in Interstellar as the formidable, intelligent Dr. Amelia Brand. She’s equally strong as Selena Kyle/Catwoman in the final installment of Nolan’s Batman trilogy.

6 Tom Hardy

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Related: Every Christopher Nolan & Tom Hardy Movie Ranked

Tom Hardy is known for his rugged, tough characters, a reputation further developed by his iconic performance as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. Hardy brought a unique voice to the character and a frightening physicality that could believably outmatch Christian Bale’s hulking Batman. In Inception, Hardy plays the supporting role of Eames, a more suave and conventional character than he typically portrays. He also plays the quiet, stoic pilot, Farrier, in Dunkirk, in some of the film’s most exciting airborne sequences.

5 Kenneth Branagh

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Known for his contributions to cinema both behind and in front of the camera, Sir Kenneth Branagh has recently found a partnership with Christopher Nolan, appearing in his three most recent films. In Dunkirk, Branagh appears briefly as Commander Bolton. His most prominent Nolan role was in Tenet, where he played the vicious villain, Andrei Sator. Branagh also joined the massive Oppenheimer cast as Danish physicist Niels Bohr, one of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s leading influences.

4 Gary Oldman

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Gary Oldman was one of five actors who appeared in all three films in The Dark Knight trilogy. In some of Gary Oldman’s best movies, he famously played incorruptible cop Jim Gordon, showing stages of his career as he rises to become the Commissioner. Oldman’s role as Gordon was a refreshing change for the actor, who’s built a career playing over-the-top villains like Norman Stansfield and Count Dracula. He returned to Nolan’s films in Oppenheimer for a small role as President Harry S. Truman, a character more akin to Oldman’s usual villainous types.

3 Christian Bale

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Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan set the gold standard for modern superhero movies with their Batman trilogy, with The Dark Knight still considered the best Christopher Nolan movie. Bale’s Batman is iconic, and he’s regarded as the defining Dark Knight actor for generations of moviegoers. After Batman Begins, Bale also played the lead role in Nolan’s film The Prestige, one of the director’s underrated movies. Bale brings his marquee intensity to both characters, playing the physically menacing superhero and the calculating magician Alfred Borden.

2 Cillian Murphy

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For years, Cillian Murphy has delivered unbelievable character acting performances in Nolan’s movies, including roles in Inception, Dunkirk, and the supervillain Scarecrow in The Dark Knight trilogy. In 2023, Murphy got his first opportunity to shine in the leading role as the titular character in Oppenheimer. Murphy’s performance has been universally acclaimed, prompting early notions for him to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. Oppenheimer was not only a critically acclaimed masterpiece but also an unprecedented box-office success, bringing in over $950 million, a ridiculous amount for an R-rated biographical drama. Murphy had garnered popularity for leading Peaky Blinders, but he’s surged to new heights in 2023.

1 Michael Caine

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Sir Michael Caine has worked on films since the 1940s, appearing in classics like Sleuth and The Man Who Would Be King. For modern audiences, he’s best known for his many collaborations with Christopher Nolan, where he’s appeared in eight of the director’s films. There are many Michael Caine characters in Nolan movies, ranging from prominent supporting roles to brief appearances, even appearing in Dunkirk for a brief voice-over cameo.

Caine famously played Batman’s trusty butler, Alfred Pennyworth, in all three films of The Dark Knight trilogy. This role eternalized him as a pop culture gem for playing one of movie history’s most beloved supporting roles. After Batman Begins, Caine played alongside his Batman co-star in The Prestige. He continued to appear in every Nolan film until Tenet, which would likely be his last. The actor didn’t return for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and has since announced his retirement from acting.