Introduction

The Naked Oppenheimer in a Chair meme features a still image of J. Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy, sitting naked in a chair with a thoughtful expression.

Background

This image gained popularity on Twitter following the release of the film 'Oppenheimer' in late July 2023. It showcases a memorable scene where Oppenheimer appears contemplative, covering his mouth with his hand while sitting in a chair.

Meme History

The film 'Oppenheimer' premiered on July 21, 2023, featuring Cillian Murphy as the titular physicist. In one notable scene, Oppenheimer and his lover, Jean Tatlock, are depicted sitting naked in a hotel room. On July 29, 2023, Twitter user @BonerWizard shared a still image from this scene, humorously captioning it about late-night snacking. This post quickly gained traction, amassing over 11,900 retweets and 141,000 likes within five days.

Internet Reaction

Following the initial post, the Naked Oppenheimer image went viral on Twitter, serving as a template for various memes. For instance, on July 30, 2023, user @trunarla created a meme that garnered over 3,000 retweets and 21,800 likes in just four days. The next day, @FORESTGREENE captioned the image with a humorous remark about Oppenheimer’s nudity, earning over 8,500 retweets and 92,800 likes within three days. The meme continued to evolve into early August 2023, with many variations circulating, often compared to the Pointing Rick Dalton meme format.