Cinemagoers are only just discovering what goes into fake cigarettes after watching Cillian Murphy puffing away throughout the new blockbuster Oppenheimer.
The new release, from director Christopher Nolan, hit cinemas on Friday alongside Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, with both movies drawing an estimated $465 million in ticket sales.
In the film, Irish actor Cillian, 47, frequently lights up cigarettes on set to truly transform into Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist and ‘father of the atomic bomb’ who relied on cigarettes and martinis to fuel his genius.
But the theoretical physicist’s unhealthy habits eventually led to him dying from cancer in 1967.
Heavy smoker: Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer character frequently lit up cigarettes on set to truly transform into Robert Oppenheimer – the scientist and ‘father of the atomic bomb’
Herbal cigarettes: The actor had to chain smoke fake cigarettes to get into character in Christopher Nolan’s new movie
Since making its cinema debut, there has been a surge in interest in people wanting to know about the cigarettes Cillian’s character is repeatedly seen smoking, and spoiler alert, they’re not exactly good for you.
Studio executives often provide herbal cigarettes for their A-list cast to smoke when their character is described as a heavy smoker.
Of course, puffing on the real thing isn’t good for actors, especially when they might have to shoot a particular scene many times, so, to overcome this problem, nicotine and tobacco free alternatives are used.
Instead of nicotine and tobacco, herbal cigarettes are made up of a blend of herbs, such as jasmine, ginseng, lotus leaf, and passion flower.
Honeyrose Herbal Smokes is one brand that makes prop cigarettes and they are often used by actors or by those who are trying to quit smoking.
They sell packets of unbranded smokes that contain less tar than the real counterparts.
While they are thought to have lower health risks, Cancer.org claims that even herbal cigarettes with no tobacco give off tar, particulates, and carbon monoxide, and are dangerous to your health.
Earlier this month, Cillian, revealed that he was giving up on taking on chain-smoking characters in his future projects.
New release: Oppenheimer hit cinemas globally on Friday and has already raked in millions of dollars
The actor previously told The Independent in 2016 that he had smoked an estimated 3,000 cigarettes on the set of Peaky Blinders
It comes after both his Oppenheimer character and his Peaky Blinders character, Tommy Shelby, smoked heavily.
‘I’ve smoked so many fake cigarettes for Peaky and this,’ he told The Guardian.
‘My next character will not be a smoker. They can’t be good for you. Even herbal cigarettes have health warnings now.’
The actor previously told The Independent in 2016 that he had smoked an estimated 3,000 cigarettes on the set of Peaky Blinders.
The late Helen McCrory, who played the matriarch Polly Gray in the series, once shared that the herbal props have a ‘horrible taste.’
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