Rami Malek Shock: 'Tricky' How Audiences Will Feel About Crowe's 'Charismatic' Nazi

Oscar winners Russell Crowe and Rami Malek reunite for Nuremberg, a tense historical thriller from Sony Pictures Classics that revisits the war crimes trials that followed World War II. The film, directed by James Vanderbilt, explores the psychological confrontation between Crowe's portrayal of Nazi leader Hermann Göring and Malek's Douglas Kelley, the American psychiatrist assigned to assess him in 1945 Germany.

During a recent screening in New York, Malek spoke about the emotional weight of filming within a recreation of Göring's prison cell. He admitted that playing Kelley's obsession with understanding evil was an intense process. He also warned that audiences may find Crowe's charismatic performance difficult to process. 'It will be tricky to grapple with how audiences feel about Göring because of how charismatic Russell Crowe is', Malek said.

The actor revealed his deep personal investment in the project. He reportedly discovered the book that inspired the film, pursued its author, and pitched the idea himself. His aim, he said, was to capture the human complexity behind one of history's darkest moments.

The Story of Nuremberg

Hermann Göring, once Hitler's deputy and head of the German Luftwaffe, was the highest-ranking Nazi to stand trial after the war. The 1945–46 Nuremberg Trials marked the first international tribunal to prosecute state-led atrocities. Judges from the Allied nations gathered to hold Nazi leaders accountable for crimes against humanity, establishing a legal precedent that still shapes international law today.

Nuremberg focuses less on the courtroom spectacle and more on the psychological struggle between Kelley and Göring. Malek's character is a young, ambitious psychiatrist trying to uncover how a man responsible for mass suffering could maintain charm and authority even behind bars. Crowe's Göring, meanwhile, manipulates every conversation, using intellect and wit to maintain control.

Director James Vanderbilt, best known for Zodiac, said the film avoids sensationalism. Instead, it delves into the moral confusion surrounding Kelley's fascination with Göring's personality. Malek described the experience of filming in confined, historically accurate sets as 'claustrophobic', saying that every scene forced the two men to confront the thin line between analysis and empathy.

The production reportedly reconstructed the Nuremberg cells and interrogation rooms to exact historical detail, from the lighting to the elevator design. Malek said that shooting in such an environment made the story feel painfully real.

Film Release Date

Nuremberg opens in US cinemas on 7 November 2025, followed by its UK release on 14 November to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the original trials. After its theatrical run, the film will stream exclusively on Sky Cinema from January 2026.

Described as a gripping legal and psychological drama, Nuremberg will revisit not only a pivotal chapter of history but also the questions it raised about justice, morality, and human nature.