Image

“He couldn’t witness the Elon Musk rant”: Internet reacts after Christopher Nolan admits he doesn’t personal a smartphone or use electronic mail

Christopher Nolan apparently still keeps himself away from modern communication methods.

The acclaimed filmmaker recently appeared on 60 Minutes to discuss his upcoming film, The Odyssey. While the interview aired on May 17, the show shared a clip from the conversation, unrelated to filmmaking, on social media on May 20.

In the clip, Scott Pelly asked Nolan if he didn’t use email, to which the director replied, “I do not. I never have.” When the journalist asked the reason for it, Christopher Nolan said:

“I don’t know. No interest… I’ve just never been particularly interested in that as a form of communication.”

The 60 Minutes host wondered if the Oscar-winning director used postal letters for communication. However, Nolan explained that he gets a “lot of printed emails.” When Pelly asked whether the filmmaker used a smartphone, Nolan replied:

“No, I’ve never had a smartphone. It’s getting harder and harder.”

He also pointed out the difficulties he faced with the widespread use of QR codes because he did not use a smartphone. Christopher Nolan added that he carries a flip phone while traveling.

Nolan’s claim about not using email and smartphones again created a buzz on the internet. Pop Base shared Nolan’s statement on its X account, prompting a user to quip:

“Sadly he couldn’t witness the Elon Musk rant.”

@PopBase Sadly he couldn’t witness the Elon musk rant

For the unversed, Musk has recently lambasted Nolan in a series of tweets over his cast selection for The Odyssey. Another user commented on the criticism surrounding Nolan’s upcoming movie.

@PopBase That means he doesn’t give a F#ck about what you guys think about odesssy and Nupita Nyongo, he’s not even reading your comments. I Stan him.

A few X users commented that Christopher Nolan must have assistants to perform tasks for him.

@PopBase he probably just makes his poor assistant print out all his tweets so he can read them at breakfast anyway let’s be real

@PopBase Bro got assistants carrying scrolls around like medieval messengers

Many other netizens praised Christopher Nolan for creating masterpiece films while keeping himself away from technology.

@PopBase Meanwhile he made some of the biggest films of this generation without notifications, endless scrolling or inbox stress. Different era, different focus 🎬

@PopBase At this point Christopher Nolan is basically living in a different timeline 😭 No smartphone, no email, just pure vibes and Oscar-winning movies.

However, a few netizens raised eyebrows at Nolan’s claim.

@PopBase What a genuinely weird thing to lie about…..

@PopBase Yes, a multimillionaire wants us to believe he’s a caveman. So believable😒


Christopher Nolan previously explained why he doesn’t use a smartphone

Christopher Nolan doesn’t use email or smartphones, and writes his scripts on a computer that isn’t connected to the internet 🖥️“I think technology and what it can provide is amazing. My personal choice is about how involved I get. 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”(via @THR)

In a 2020 interview with PEOPLE, Christopher Nolan was asked if it was true that he didn’t use a smartphone. The filmmaker confirmed it and said he uses a flip phone without an internet connection.

“I’m easily distractible, so I don’t really want to have access to the internet every time when I’m bored. I do a lot of my best thinking in those kind of in-between moments that people now fill with online activity, so it benefits me.”

Later in 2023, ahead of the release of Oppenheimer, Nolan told The Hollywood Reporter that smartphones would not be useful for him.

“My personal choice is about how involved I get. 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.”

He told the publication that he wrote his scripts on a computer without any internet connection. However, the director acknowledged that technology could offer “amazing” things.


Christopher Nolan recently came under fire from several online users, including Elon Musk. The SpaceX founder slammed the filmmaker for casting Lupita Nyong’o to portray Helen of Troy, who was described as the most beautiful woman in the world in Homer’s classic poem. Musk objected to casting a non-white actress in the role of a Greek character. The Odyssey will hit theaters on July 17.