Florence Pugh was part of Oppenheimer’s stacked cast playing the famed theoretical physicist’s love interest Jean Tatlock. Her role may have been small in this year’s Academy Award-winning film, but all the more memorable. As the bond between the cast of the Christopher Nolan film continues through an “Oppenhomies” group chat, Pugh apparently isn’t in it considering she didn’t know that there was one.
It would be easy to say the character of Jean Tatlock was memorable due to the controversy surrounding the nude scenes Florence Pugh was in. But her role in the biopic was so much more than that. The Communist Party member who had an affair with J. Robert Oppenheimer served as a reminder to the Father of the Atomic Bomb that the choices he made had consequences. You’d think with a significant role like that, she’d be in the “Oppenhomies” group chat, right? A TikTok of the British actress being interviewed on the Oscars red carpet says otherwise.
@oscars ♬ original sound - The Oscars
Based on this hilarious TikTok, Florence Pugh appeared to look flabbergasted that there was even an “Oppenhomies” group chat. She did admit she’s in a particular chat with the cast of the Barbenheimer phenomenon hit, but didn’t know it was called “Oppenhomies.” Maybe there are different group chats for different cast members of the film? With so many famous names in the epic biopic, maybe they had to make separate ones.
Filming for the awards season hit may have long come to an end, but it doesn’t mean the bond the cast had with each other needs to end as well. Robert Downey Jr. had no problem referring to his Oppenheimer chums as “Oppenhomies” when he reunited with them at a cast Q&A and film screening at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Los Angeles. Considering the Iron Man star said he felt very close to his castmates during filming, I can understand wanting to maintain the friendships he made after through texts, hangouts, or FaceTime.
According to the film’s lead, Cillian Murphy, he told The New York Times the name actually came from his co-star Olivia Thirlby. However, the group chain was started by Jack Quaid after an unfortunate incident involving needing a ride back from the grocery store. As reported by Page Six, Quaid took an Uber from the Hampton Inn to the grocery store while filming Oppenheimer only to realize there wasn’t an Uber waiting for him to get back which inspired the group text chain.
The "Oppenhomies" chain was also used by castmates Olli Haaskivi and Olivia Thirlby to have their own private NYC party to celebrate Oppenheimer's release. It was fortunate they were able to spread the word about this party through the group chat since the premiere was canceled due to the SAG-AFTRA Strike. It’s a blessing in disguise as it gave the cast of the beloved film a chance to reconnect long after filming ended.
It’s hard to guess why Florence Pugh apparently isn’t in the “Oppenhomies” group chat. Either she’s in a separate group chat with other members of the cast or she doesn’t know the chat she's currently in is called “Oppenhomies.” Either way, at least she’s not excluded in any form of chats among her castmates. You can watch the talented actress and the rest of the “Oppenhomies” in Oppenheimer found in your Peacock subscription.
