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| “ | Oppenheimer wanted to own the atomic bomb. He wanted to be the man who moved the Earth. He talks about putting the nuclear genie back in the bottle. Well, I'm here to tell you that I know J. Robert Oppenheimer, and if he could do it all over, he'd do it all the same! You know he's never once said that he regrets Hiroshima? He'd do it all over! Why? Because it made him the most important man who ever lived. It was all part of his plan. He wanted the glorious, insincere guilt of the self-important to wear like a f*cking crown. Say "No, we cannot go down this road," even as he knew we'd have to. | „ |
| ~ Strauss' villainous breakdown, revealing his deep-seated resentment for Oppenheimer. |
| “ | Amateurs seek the sun...get eaten. Power stays in the shadows. | „ |
| ~ Strauss's most famous quote. |
Admiral Lewis Lichtenstein Strauss is the main antagonist of the 2023 epic biographical thriller film Oppenheimer, which is based on the life of the late American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer.
He is, as in real life, the chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and a long-withstanding rival of American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. In the years after World War II, Strauss decides to do anything possible to destroy Oppenheimer's reputation in the eyes of the American people, all because Oppenheimer seemingly put all scientists against his own.
He was portrayed by Robert Downey Jr., who also played Special Agent John Royce in U.S. Marshals, Vivian Thompson in In Dreams, Patrick Pewterschmidt in Family Guy and Dr. Kozak in The Shaggy Dog.
In the Japanese dub of the movie, he is voiced by Kazuhiro Yamaji, who voiced Kenny Ackerman in Attack on Titan.
Personality[]
Strauss is an angry, bitter, vindictive man who believes that the world is against him and holds years-long grudges for any slight, real or imagined. This is especially true of his chief rival, J. Robert Oppenheimer, whom he is convinced has turned the science community against him, including Albert Einstein. Strauss' hatred of Oppenheimer eventually becomes an obsession, leading him to devise an intricate plan to destroy his reputation.
History[]
Lewis Strauss, as the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), covertly orchestrated the 1954 Loyalty Hearings that led to J. Robert Oppenheimer's security clearance revocation. This included hiring Roger Robb personally to represent Strauss's interests during the questioning.
Strauss was motivated primarily by resentment against Oppenheimer, attributing the animosity to alleged disparaging remarks made by Oppenheimer to Albert Einstein. Strauss's bitterness only grew after Oppenheimer humiliated Strauss at a committee hearing in 1947 regarding isotope exports, an event that he never got over. His later opposition to the development of the hydrogen bomb and his prior involvement with left-leaning political groups made him a target of suspicion, which Strauss unethically exploited by having the FBI spy on him, and later revoke Oppenheimer's clearance during the hearings.
Although he was able to tarnish Oppenheimer's political influence, Strauss was unsuccessful in receiving a promotion into the Cabinet for the post of Secretary of Commerce. The testimony of MetLab technician David Hill, who revealed Strauss' personal vendetta against Oppenheimer and his role in orchestrating his downfall, played a crucial role in this failure. Notably, this would mark the 18th time in history a recipient has been formally denied a promotion, with several votes against Strauss, including one by Massachusetts junior senator John F. Kennedy. On his part, Strauss takes his defeat in stride, plastering on a grin for the reporters because he believes Oppenheimer’s bomb will bring the world’s destruction as he leaves.
Just like in real life, Strauss's reputation and involvement in the Oppenheimer security hearings preceded him as a villain in real life American history.
Quotes[]
| “ | Survival in Washington is how you get things done. | „ |
| ~ Lewis Strauss. |
| “ | We need a systematic destruction of Oppenheimer's credibility so he can never again speak on matters of national security. | „ |
| ~ Lewis Strauss. |
| “ | Genius is no guarantee of wisdom. How could this man who saw so much be so blind? | „ |
| ~ Lewis Strauss |
| “ | We're not convicting - just denying. | „ |
| ~ Lewis Strauss |
Trivia[]
- Christopher Nolan based the relationship between Lewis Strauss and J. Robert Oppenheimer on that of Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart from the 1984 film Amadeus.
- Robert Downey Jr. has cited his role as Lewis Strauss as one of his favorites to date, as he has praised Oppenheimer as the best film he has made in his career.
- Robert Downey Jr. later won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor due to his role as Lewis Strauss at the 96th Academy Awards.
- He faced competition against other nominees Ryan Gosling and Robert De Niro. Interestingly, all three were recognized for their portrayals of antagonistic characters; Downey for Strauss, Gosling for Ken in Barbie and De Niro for William King Hale in Killers of the Flower Moon.
- Downey was the second actor to have won Best Supporting Actor for a Christopher Nolan movie, the first being Heath Ledger for the Joker in The Dark Knight.