Sir Michael Caine may have starred in one of the worst movies ever made, but he's also been in some of the most influential and most beloved. Among his impressive filmography is a not-so-little film called Interstellar.
The 2014 space epic has received a bit of criticism for having heavy-handed themes and being too long, but many still believe it sits near the top of the list of Christopher Nolan's best films. Part of this has to do with how dedicated the cast was to their characters. They drew personal connections with them to breathe life into the pages of the script. But many don't know that Michael has a very real connection to the scientist he played on-screen...
Was Sir Michael Caine Playing Kip Thorne In Interstellar?
Anyone remotely fascinated by theoretical physics and astrophysics knows something about Kip Thorne. And anyone who knows anything about Interstellar is aware that Kip not only served as a consultant on the film from its inception (no pun intended) but also influenced the Professor Brand character played by Sir Michael Caine.
"I wasn’t playing him [literally], but I was playing a Kip Thorne guy," Michael said in an interview with Vulture back in 2014. "I grew a beard because he has a beard. I thought, That’ll make me look like a physicist. I remember first going on to set, my office in the picture, there was an algebra formula around the room, about four feet high, and it was about 50 feet long. I said, 'Did you do this?' He said, 'yes.' 'How many algebra problems is this?' It was one. All that was one problem. I said, 'Do you know the answer?' He said, 'Yes, I wrote the problem.'"
This is something Michael absolutely couldn't relate to. In fact, he claimed that he never felt "more dumb" in his life than when he was talking to Kip. Michael did, however, find a lot of inspiration from talking to Kip. Specifically for the development of his character.
"He’s very quiet, very knowledgeable, very sure of what he does and says. He doesn’t do a lot of frippery around a conversation. But he’s an extremely nice man, and I got to know him because I did my best to portray that kind of person onscreen."
How Did Michael Caine Prepare To Be In Interstellar?
Aside from spending some time with Kip Thorne, Michael claims to have done some extensive prep to pull off his astrophysicist character.
"I read all about black holes and everything. I read Kip’s papers. I read one where he said Einstein was wrong. You couldn’t understand [the science], really. But you could act like you understood it. If you want to act as though you understand something, you find out what you don’t understand. That’s what I did. This is what it sounds like when someone understands. I based it off how Kip talked about thing. He talks to Stephen Hawking every day. Can you imagine that conversation? You wouldn’t understand a word. I just based it on that, the fact that I looked like I knew everything and the audience knew nothing."
Michael Caine's Personal Connection To Interstellar
While Michael may not have had a direct connection to the mathematics, physics, and general science that influenced both his character and the man he was based on, he did relate to another aspect of Interstellar. This would be Dylan Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night", a poem that was recited multiple times in the film, including by Michael himself. Not only did Michael love the poem prior to having to read it in the film, but he also knew the poet personally.
"I love that poem. I also knew Dylan Thomas quite well. I knew him, but he didn’t know me. He was always drunk when you met him. I know he’s dead, but I’m sure if you said, 'Did you ever meet Michael Caine,' he’d say, 'I don’t know.' He was a fabulous poet. He was just around in the bars and clubs in London. He was a very bright Welshman who drank too much," Michael said to Vulture. "I knew the poem very well. I read it when he wrote it. I knew where he was coming from. It’s a great poem! And it wasn’t in the script. I finished a scene one day and [Christopher Nolan] said, 'Would you read this poem?' I read it offscreen, and then I read it onscreen for the camera. He just said, 'I want you to read this,' I read it, and then that was it; he said 'thank you,' and then he walked away."
Michael Caine Loved Interstellar's Message About The Environment
There's no doubt that Michael Caine's relationship with Christopher Nolan is the main reason he wanted to make Interstellar. He has been quoted as saying that he would make just about any film with the acclaimed director. To date, he has been featured (in some capacity) in almost every single one of Christopher's feature films. But Michael wanted to do Interstellar for another reason... its environmental message.
"I think if you see what’s happening on Earth, you know we’re headed towards Interstellar," Michael claimed before saying that he also connected to the theme of the passing of time. "I’m not one who wants to live as long as possible, but I have grandchildren who I adore. They changed my life. I just lost 20 pounds. For them!"
