Cillian Murphy Jokingly Explains Why “Oppenheimer ”Costar Matt Damon Called Him the 'Worst Dinner Companion'

"I love sleeping and I need sleep," the Oscar nominee said

When Cillian Murphy is in on a project, he's all in.

The Oppenheimer actor, 47, recently sat down with 60 Minutes host Scott Pelley to discuss filming Christopher Nolan's biopic about the creation of the atomic bomb and what his dynamic was like with his bevy of A-list costars within the framework of his role.

"Matt Damon told me that 'Cillian is the worst dinner companion imaginable,' " Pelley, 66, said. "What he meant by that was when you're working on a film — when you're being the character — there's very little room in your head for anything else."

"Yeah, I mean, I've always been like that, I think," Murphy responded, laughing. "But it's because, to me, you have the time on set, which is short enough time — you have 10 hours, maybe. And then the other part, if you've got a significant part, you're having to keep your lines fresh."

Related: Why Cillian Murphy Won't Take Photos with Fans: 'Better to Say Hello and Have a Little Conversation'

"And then the other big thing for me is sleeping. I love sleeping and I need sleep," quipped the Best Actor Academy Award nominee.

Despite his approach to roles, Murphy said he has "had lots of lovely dinners with" Damon, 53, "since the movie's finished and we've been out promoting it and stuff."

"At the time, yeah, you just don't have the room … in your head, and you want as much sleep as possible," the 28 Days Later actor added.

Murphy and Damon star in Oppenheimer alongside Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh and more. The movie leads the pack with 13 nominations at this year's Oscars, including nods for Best Director for Nolan, 53, and Best Picture.

Related: Emily Blunt on Why Fans Are 'Spellbound' by Oppenheimer Costar Cillian Murphy: He's 'Captivating' (Exclusive)

Like many who have seen Oppenheimer, Downey, 58, was floored with Murphy's transformative performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American physicist who led the U.S. effort to create an atomic bomb during World War II.

Speaking with PEOPLE back in July 2023 amid the film's release, Downey said of his costar, "I have never witnessed a greater sacrifice by a lead actor in my career."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

Downey, who portrays Atomic Energy Commission chairman Lewis Strauss in the film and is up for Best Supporting Actor at the 2024 Oscars, says he was impressed by Murphy's "commitment" to the massive undertaking of leading Nolan's three-hour epic.

"He knew it was going to be a behemoth ask when Chris called him. But I think he also had the humility that is required to survive playing a role like this," he said.

Downey added, "We'd be like, 'Hey, we got a three-day weekend. Maybe we'll go antiquing in Santa Fe. What are you going to do?' 'Oh, I have to learn 30,000 words of Dutch. Have a nice time.' But that's the nature of the ask."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.