Oppenheimer: Who Plays Henry Stimson & Why Is He Familiar To Mortal Kombat Fans?
When Christopher Nolan's historical epic "Oppenheimer" made its way into theaters, it did so fronting serious A-list energy in stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., and Florence Pugh. Impressive as those names are, "Oppenheimer"'s extended cast of supporting players whom Nolan assembled is truly jaw-dropping, with names like Casey Affleck, Gary Oldman, Kenneth Branagh, Jack Quaid, and Rami Malek topping the list. If you scroll far enough down the "Oppenheimer" IMDb page, you'll even see the name of Mr. James Remar, who played U.S. Secretary of War Henry Stimson in the film.
If you've seen "Oppenheimer," you know Remar's character doesn't garner a ton of screen time. Like most of the film's supporting team, however, the actor more than made the most of his moments. He even added to one of the film's most powerful scenes, reportedly improvising the line of dialogue where Stimson removes Kyoto from the list of possible bombing sites in Japan in part because he and his wife honeymooned there. It's a powerful moment, to be certain. And it's just one of many Remar has delivered over the years.
Fans of 1997's "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation" hardly need a reminder of Remar's skill, as the actor put just as much energy into playing super-powered kung fu fighter Raiden in the film. Of course, given the video game adaptation's critical and commercial shortcomings, "MK: Annihilation" hardly ranks among the actor's biggest hits. And yes, Remar has contributed to quite a few hits in his decades-long career.
Mortal Kombat is but one of many intriguing entries on James Remar's resume
To be fair, the general shortcomings of "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation" hardly rest on the shoulders of James Remar, with producer Lawrence Kasanoff claiming in the 2017 book "Lights, Camera, Game Over!" that studio bosses forced the filmmakers to release the movie before it was actually finished. Lack of polish aside, "MK: Annihilation" has become a low-key cult hit over the years, with certain fans now embracing its schlocky, B-movie energy.
As it happens, that cult status is sort of fitting since one of Remar's first big roles came in Walter Hill's 1979 cult hit crime thriller "The Warriors." Remar was quick to capitalize on that early success, scooping up roles in hit '80s TV shows like "Hill Street Blues," "Miami Vice," and "The Equalizer." He'd also appear in celebrated films like William Friedkin's "Cruising" (opposite Al Pacino), Hill's Eddie Murphy vehicle "48 Hrs.," Francis Ford Coppola's "The Cotton Club," and Gus Van Sant's landmark indie "Drugstore Cowboy."
Remar has continued to split time between the film and television realms over the years, making notable big-screen appearances in "Pineapple Express," "The Blackcoat's Daughter," "RED," "Django Unchained," and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," as well as contributing to the "X-Men," "Transformers," and "Fast & Furious" franchises. On television, Remar has turned up for roles on "Sex and the City," "The Vampire Diaries," "Gotham," "Animal Kingdom," "Yellowstone," "The Rookie," and the recent Arrowverse hit "Black Lightning." Still, Remar is perhaps best known to modern TV viewers for his series-long stint on "Dexter," where he portrayed the title character's murderous adoptive papa, Harry Morgan.