Naomi Osaka’s stand against press interviews receives backing of Cillian Murphy ahead of the release of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer
Peaky Blinders' fame Cillian Murphy lends his support to tennis player Naomi Osaka's decision to abstain from press interviews.
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Naomi Osaka, Cillian Murphy (Credit:- Wikipedia)
In an interview with The Guardian, actor Cillian Murphy expressed his support for tennis player Naomi Osaka’s choice to forego press interviews at the French Open in 2021. Murphy, known for his introverted personality and dislike of media attention, drew comparisons between their situations and opened up about the challenges that popular people in the entertainment industry have to suffer.
Murphy, who has done popular projects such as Peaky Blinders and Inception, admitted that he feels a deep connection with Osaka’s viewpoint, claiming ‘100% sympathy’ for her. Furthermore, he questioned the necessity as to why people like Osaka have to continuously perform in front of the media, emphasizing that it is a burden they should not be forced to endure.
However, the actor recognized the symbiotic relationship between the film industry and PR and acknowledged the importance of interviews and media appearances in promoting and sustaining film success. He said that he recognizes the fundamental nature of this ecosystem and its importance in the greater context of the industry.
“But I get it. I get it’s a kind of ecosystem where the film feeds the publicity which feeds the talk shows which goes back and feeds the film, so, like, that’s how it works,” said the actor. In a self-deprecating manner talking about how he will keep thinking about this interview even when he goes home, he mentioned famous writer Samuel Beckett and said, “Do you know what Sam Beckett said? ‘I have no views to inter.’ I love that. That should be the interview.”
Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from 2021 FO was a flag bearer for initiating conversations around athletes’ mental health. By voicing his support for her decision and highlighting his own struggles with interviews, Murphy has aligned himself with those who challenge the conventional expectations placed upon public figures.
Where is Naomi Osaka?
Osaka can be remembered as a high-intensity wind that blew over the tennis world for almost 3 years but then eventually lost its track and has now disappeared. Once dominating the top of the women’s tennis rankings, Naomi Osaka was a fan favorite. She has four Grand Slam titles under her name and was expected to conquer for a longer time, but now she is nowhere to be seen. So, what exactly happened?
At the French Open, Osaka was seeded second, having won the AO the same year. Just before the start of the event, she revealed that she would not be fulfilling her necessary media responsibilities. As expected, the tennis star stuck to her decision after winning her first match and was later fined $15,000 and was threatened with expulsion. However, to everyone’s surprise, she withdrew the very next day. Eventually, she didn’t participate in Wimbledon, and after failing to defend her US Open title, she declared an ‘indefinite break’ from tennis.
Osaka’s break due to mental health created a storm in the world of sports. Many known players, like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, took the opposite stand and cited that it’s important for an athlete to hold press conferences after matches no matter what, as they are part of the rules of the sport.
But there were many who were positively influenced by this. American gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics due to her mental health and stated that she was inspired by Osaka to make such a big decision.
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Navya Mishra
(407 Articles Published)