Christopher Nolan Remembers 'Dear Friend' Heath Ledger

Oppenheimer bagged five awards out of its eight Golden Globe nominations, including Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr), Best Original Score (Ludwig Goransson) and Best Picture, Drama.

According to Variety, a US-based media outlet, the award marks Director Christopher Nolan's first Globe, having been previously nominated for writing 2000's Memento, writing and directing 2010's Inception and directing 2017's Dunkirk.

In this year's director race, Nolan was up against Bradley Cooper (Maestro), Greta Gerwig (Barbie), Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things), Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon) and Celine Song (Past Lives).

During his acceptance speech at the awards ceremony, Nolan remembered his 'dear friend' Heath Ledger, who had portrayed a negative role in his film, The Dark Knight.

'The only time I've ever been on this stage before was accepting one of these on behalf of our dear friend, Heath Ledger, and that was complicated and challenging for me,' Nolan said.

'In the middle of speaking, I got all stuck, and Robert Downey Jr caught my eye and gave me a look of love and support -- the same look he's giving me now. Same love and support he's shown so many people in our community for so many years.'

Heath Ledger died at the age of 28 of an accidental overdose. The filming of The Dark Knight had been completed but the film was not released yet. His haunting portrayal of the Joker earned him numerous posthumous awards, including the Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

'I thought it would be simpler accepting for myself but, as a director, I realise I can only accept this on behalf of people. As directors, we bring people together and we try to get them to give their best,' he added.

Nolan said had many people to thank, and he began with his cast of Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh and Robert Downey Jr. and ended with Universal’s Donna Langley and his producer wife, Emma Thomas.

The biopic, set during World War II, follows Oppenheimer, known as the Father of the Atomic Bomb, during a period in history when he understood that testing the atomic bomb would ignite the atmosphere and destroy the world, yet he pushed the button anyway.

Oppenheimer is played by Cillian Murphy, who has worked with Nolan before in films like Inception, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises and Dunkirk.

Oppenheimer's star-studded cast includes Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Josh Hartnett, Gary Oldman, Rami Malek and Kenneth Branagh.