Why does Christopher Nolan not use a smartphone? Influential filmmaker finds device distracting and useless when writing scripts
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Christopher Nolan, one of the most acclaimed and influential filmmakers, doesn’t rely on smartphones or email to communicate or create his cinematic visions. The director of 'The Dark Knight' trilogy, 'Inception', 'Tenet' and the upcoming 'Oppenheimer' revealed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he prefers to stay unplugged from the digital distractions of modern life.
“My personal choice is about how involved I get,” he explained. “It’s about the level of distraction. If I’m generating my material and writing my own scripts, being on a smartphone all day wouldn’t be very useful for me.”
'I’m easily distractible'
Nolan also said that he writes the scripts for his films on a computer that doesn’t have an internet connection. Previously in 2020, Nolan told People that he uses a flip phone that he takes with him “from time to time.” He said that staying offline helps him focus on his art and his thoughts. “I’m easily distractible so I don’t really want to have access to the internet every time when I’m bored,” he said. “I do a lot of my best thinking in that kind of in-between moments that people now fill with online activity, so it benefits me.”
Nolan is not completely opposed to technology as his children may think: “My kids would probably say I’m a complete Luddite,” Nolan said, which means a person who opposes new technology.
'People find their own ways of communicating'
However, Nolan said he would "resist the description" as according to him what technology can provide is "amazing." Nolan also prefers.He said he has “never been particularly interested in communicating with people in that way. I just calling people from a landline.” The filmmaker also expressed his distaste for email, saying, “People find their own ways of communicating and managing things.”
Michael Cera was left out of a 'Barbie' cast group chat for not having a smartphone
Nolan is not the only one in Hollywood who discourages smartphones. Michael Cera, who stars in the upcoming Barbie film alongside Margot Robbie, also revealed in People’s Barbie special issue that he has a flip phone and that he was left out of a cast group chat because of it.
“I don’t have an iPhone myself. … I have a flip phone,” Cera told the publication. "But I still think I wouldn’t belong on [the group chat] anyway, because [my character] Allan is sort of in his own little world.”
Cera, who is known for his quirky roles in films like 'Superbad', 'Juno', and 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World', said that he likes his flip phone because it’s simple and reliable. “It’s just a phone, and I like that,” he said. “It does the job.”
