Christopher Nolan Recalls Peloton Instructor’s Diss Of ‘Tenet’ While He Was Working Out With Her

You’ve heard of personal trainers. But how about a very personal trainer who disses your work while you’re exercising with her?

Christopher Nolan knows about the latter. While accepting the award for Best Director from the New York Film Critics Circle on Wednesday night, Nolan related one particularly unexpected broadside.

More from Deadline

• Christopher Nolan On Zack Snyder's Influence In Superhero Science-Fiction Films & The James Bond Film Snyder Wants To Take On

• 'Oppenheimer': Read The Screenplay For Christopher Nolan's Blockbuster Biographical Thriller

• Christopher Nolan Talks The State Of The Movie Business & Says 'Oppenheimer' Is "The Most Successful Film I've Ever Made"

“I was on my Peloton doing a high-interval workout. I’m dying,” Nolan recalled in his acceptance speech. “The instructor started talking about one of my films (later discovered to be Tenet) and said, ‘Has anyone else seen this? Because that’s a couple hours of my life I’ll never get back again.'”

Nolan went on to use the anecdote as a way to tout the professionalism of the assembled film critics.

“When [film critic] Rex Reed takes a s— on your film, he doesn’t ask you to work out!” Nolan joked. “In today’s world, where opinions are everywhere, there is a sort of idea that film criticism is being democratized. But I, for one, think the critical appreciation of films shouldn’t be an instinct, but it should be a profession.”

Footage of Nolan’s speech was captured by critic Matt Neglia, who posted it on social media. That led to 404 Media reporter Samantha Cole finding the Peloton clip in which instructor Jenn Sherman attacked.

“This song is from a soundtrack of a movie called Tenet,” Sherman said in the clip. “Anybody see this s—? Did anybody see this besides me? Because I need a manual. Someone’s got to explain this. Yeah I’m not kidding, what the f— was going on in that movie? Do you understand? Seriously, you need to be a neuroscientist to understand. And that’s two and a half hours of my life that I want back.”

The Nolan clip and the Peloton shot are below.

Best of Deadline

• 15 Movies That Flew Under The Radar In 2023

• Deadline’s 50 Classic Holiday Movies Gallery: From 'It's a Wonderful Life' And 'A Christmas Story' To 'Die Hard' And 'The Holiday'

• 2023 The Year In Photos: A Rollercoaster Ride Filled With Everything From Strikes, War & Layoffs To Surprises From Taylor Swift, 'Suits' & 'Barbie'

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.