Over a year since its premiere, the film "Oppenheimer" has once again captured headlines, not for its impressive box office performance or Academy Awards triumph, but for a rather unexpected revelation.
As reported by The Decider, the name of actor James Woods, known for his conservative views and support for Donald Trump, appeared in the film's end credits.
However, it's likely that the average cinema enthusiast remains oblivious to the fact that Woods was not merely an actor in the film, but also a producer.
Woods' inconspicuous involvement in the film was not a mere coincidence but a deliberate strategy designed to bolster the film's success.
In a recent conversation with Megyn Kelly on her SiriusXM podcast, Woods shed light on his behind-the-scenes role.
From the inception of the project, Woods was a key player. He recounted on the podcast how he and David Wargo introduced producer Chuck Roven to the book "American Prometheus," urging him to involve his friend, director Christopher Nolan.
Woods revealed that they had been striving to launch the project for half a decade.
As the film's release date approached, Woods was advised by an unnamed staff member to maintain a low profile, given his well-known conservative social media following.
"When Oppenheimer came out, there was a discussion about my Twitter, and it was gently suggested that I basically remain invisible which was painful," Woods shared on the podcast.
He added, "On the other hand, Im a pragmatic person and I thought: A lot of people put their effort into this, so Im just going to be an invisible pariah because the people who are going to be voting for Oscars which is very important to films, to get Oscars because it does help with the financial reward and historical archive in which it will rest forever. I dont want to deprive those people.
Woods admitted that his decision to downplay his involvement led to him missing out on numerous events. He expressed his concern about potential false stories that could tarnish his reputation and negatively impact the film's success.
I dont want some nutcase to come out of the woodwork and fabricate some ridiculous story about me, Ive had a million of them and theyre all lies, Woods said. He added, I dont want that to happen and have the clickbait story be, James Woods is the executive producer of Oppenheimer, were not going to watch that movie! So I stepped back and basically took one for the team.
You wouldnt even know I was not even invited to the Producers Guild of America awards. Im a producer on the picture! And I was not invited to go to the Producers Guild of America awards. Which was fine.
Following the podcast episode, Woods took to social media to express his gratitude to Kelly, stating, I want to thank Megyn Kelly for inviting me on her show.
In an environment where corporate media outlets have become hand servants for the loony left, its refreshing to talk with a strong, focused, well-informed American journalist of the highest caliber @megynkelly.
Kelly reciprocated the sentiment, responding, Loved every minute James you made us laugh, cheer & hold our hearts. What a treasure you are.
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