Interstellar by Christopher Nolan is a movie that is revered. Constructed on the shoestring of time, love, sacrifice and astrophysics, the 2014 science fiction epic continues to be one of the most spoken movies of the previous decade. Nevertheless, even to a director who is superbly precise and convinced, there are times to hesitate. Most recently, Nolan has confessed that there was at least one scene in Interstellar that he simply did not enjoy, and he has spoken quite frankly about it, saying that it felt too much to him… The commentary gives some invaluable insight into the self-deprecating impulse of a director whose work is otherwise linked to immaculate creative authority.

It was revealed when Interstellar held a special IMAX 70mm screening at AMC Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles. The incident united Nolan with Timothée Chalamet, the interviewer of the director, before the screening. The mood was festive, but somber. Interstellar is not merely a movie to many of the audience. It is a memory, ambition and the longing of distance, which is an emotional experience. Chalamet, who featured in the movie at the beginning of his career, spoke about the work in extremely personal terms.

Although his part is not the biggest in the film, Interstellar, Chalamet told the audience, he was number 12 on the call sheet, this movie came at a time in my life, in my career, when things were by no means settled, yet, and it has remained my favorite thing I have ever been a part of, which Variety quoted.

Chalamet played the role of the teenage son Tom of Matthew McConaughey who plays the role of Cooper. Although his screen time was less than that of the main arc of the film, the role was emotionally heavy. The plot of Interstellar is based on the relationships between a father and children, especially the loss of a connection between them due to time-space. To a young actor in an unsure world of Hollywood, it must have been a formidable and instructive experience to have been involved in a movie that was struggling with the issues of those kinds. Chalamet himself has already shared that upon seeing the finished film he has wept an hour because he saw that his role was smaller than he thought.

That fact addresses the vagaries of filmmaking. Scripts evolve. Edits reshape emphasis. What seems to be the core of the paper might change in the production. The film itself was also subject to a major overhaul prior to Nolan coming on board. Jonathan Nolan is the original author of the screenplay that was first to be offered to Steven Spielberg. In the previous version, the emotional focus was more focused on the father son relationship. As Spielberg moved to another project, Christopher Nolan re-adapted the source material mixing his version of the script with his lifetime interest in time, relativity and human survival.

In the recent interview Nolan went back to the origins of the film. He said the project started as an idea of theoretical physicist Kip Thorne to Spielberg. Thorne projected a science fiction novel based on valid astrophysics and not fantastic fantasy. The basis in actual science was to be a hallmark of Interstellar. Ideas like wormholes, black holes and time dilation were no longer be used as decorations but rather as driving forces of the story. The view of the rotating black hole, Gargantua, in the movie was realized with the help of intricate equations that in the future were used as a part of scientific studies published.

Interstellar, however, despite all its scientific ambition is a very emotional movie. Crying during the important scenes, especially when Cooper sends messages to Earth or when he talks with Murph in their last conversation is not something unusual a viewer might claim to do. The fact that Nolan himself states that at one point he felt that it was too much… implies that there is tension in creativity, between not saying and having an emotional outburst. Directors are usually balancing on whether to give sentiment a chance to appeal or overdo it. What seems to be too much in the editing room can be catharsis to the viewers.

Interestingly enough, Nolan pointed out that Chalamet decided to play the scene in his manner nonetheless. That slight freedom of action is a hint at the collaborative aspect of the filmmaking. Actors introduce their own interpretation to their roles even in projects directed by strong auteurs. A single line of delivery, a break, even a twitch of expression could change the mood of a scene. Reflectively, the scenes which a director doubts of can turn out to be the most unforgettable scenes by the viewers.

It is also remarkable, looking back at Interstellar over ten years since its premiere, that the reputation of the movie has not decreased. When it was first introduced it was controversial. It was hailed by some critics as ambitious and emotionally sincere, but was criticized by others as overly complex and lacking in narrative. The film, however, over time has taken a cultural niche that has become comfortable. It is commonly mentioned when discussing contemporary science fiction and it is also regularly re-screened in high-quality film theaters like IMAX 70mm, which attests to the visual size.

It is also telling that Nolan was open in openly accepting doubt. Certainty is highly valued in an industry where it is common to pretend that one is comfortable with a creative choice as a way of showing a reflective attitude. It supports the notion that even great film directors can look anew with fresh eyes at what they have done. We as an audience are inclined to regard completed movies as monuments. To filmmakers, they are living records of decisions made under the pressure, within limitations and through co-operation.

Another fact regarding filmmaking is highlighted by the emotional reaction of Chalamet towards the final version of the film. Actors put their all in projects, and at times they do not even know how their efforts will eventually be formed. The disillusionment of less screen time was in tandem with pride of something worthwhile. When he said that the film was his favorite project, he implied that artistic impact is not totally quantified in prominence.

Interstellar remains relatable as it touches upon the universal fears and hopes. The anxiety of abandoning loved ones. The hope that the human race will survive. The possibility of time-travelling love. These themes, along with the scientific truth and vast visual images, have ensured its legacy. But the fact that a single scene of the film is what troubled its director, brings humanity to the mythology of the movie.