If you've reached Episode 3 of Netflix's recent sci-fi series “3 Body Problem,” you'll recall a scene where Benedict Wong's character discusses the death of J. Robert Oppenheimer's mistress. The creators were initially worried that viewers might not grasp the reference, but then Christopher Nolan's “Oppenheimer” came out.
came out.
In the scene, Wong's investigator Clarence Shi discovers another dead scientist, who has his head in a bathtub. “Oppenheimer’s mistress died the same way, on her knees, head in a tub,” his character remarks, suggesting that many believed she may have been murdered. “Through the Oppenheimer’s mistress example, you’re meant to wonder how did this happen to this guy and are things what they seem?,” Weiss mentioned in a behind-the-scenes video
shared by Netflix.
Benioff confessed to worrying that viewers wouldn't comprehend the reference. “When we first shot the scene, I thought, ‘How many people are gonna know this reference?’ And now thanks to Christopher Nolan…”
Weiss added, “There's a very detailed and well-crafted explanation of this moment.”
Nolan's 'Oppenheimer,' which earned various Oscars and almost $1 billion, presents Florence Pugh as Oppenheimer’s mistress, Jean Tatlock, and skillfully leaves ambiguity about whether she died by suicide or was killed, featuring shots of gloved hands pushing Jean’s head into the tub intercut with shots of her positioning herself in the tub.
Benioff, Weiss, and Woo find it amusing that what was once a subtle nod to a piece of scientific history has now become a clear reference to one of the biggest movies of 2023.
“3 Body Problem” is an adaptation of the highly popular book series by author Liu Cixin, following a team of scientists preparing for a battle against an extraterrestrial force. It's highly anticipated not only due to its source material but also because it marks the first new project by “Game of Thrones” showrunners Benioff and Weiss after the conclusion of the HBO series.
