From Indie Star to Spielberg’s Whistleblower: Josh O'Connor Opens Up About the $115M Alien Blockbuster!
As the countdown to the summer box office battle of 2026 begins, all eyes are on Hollywood’s most anticipated sci-fi thriller, Disclosure Day. Directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg, the extraterrestrial event film is set to hit theaters and IMAX on June 12, 2026.
In an exclusive sit-down, Challengers and The Crown breakout star Josh O'Connor opened up about the surreal experience of being cast in a Spielberg epic, reading the top-secret script, and playing an "unglamorous hero" caught in a massive government cover-up.
The Audition That Wasn't: How Spielberg Called Josh O'Connor
For an actor known predominantly for indie dramas and prestige television, transitioning into a massive $115 million Hollywood blockbuster was never explicitly on O'Connor's radar. Yet, when Steven Spielberg calls, you answer.
O'Connor recalled the moment he was invited to Spielberg’s office in New York to discuss the top-secret project, which marks the director's return to alien-based storytelling for the first time in nearly two decades since War of the Worlds.
"We just had a conversation initially about the fact that he had this project that he'd wanted to make for a very long time," O'Connor revealed.
"His description of the story was more to do with two characters who, for an unexplained reason, are being drawn to each other, and that the film is about them trying to find each other. And that was as much information as I had, really."
"I Read Steven Spielberg's Script..."
When O'Connor finally got his hands on the screenplay—penned by frequent Spielberg collaborator David Koepp (Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds)—he admitted his casting felt "quite surprising."
The actor teased his reaction to reading the high-octane sequences, which involve massive flying saucers, global panic, and intensive physical stunts.
"I read Steven Spielberg's script and thought, 'I don't know if that ever really tickled my fancy or anything,'" O'Connor joked, reflecting on his lack of action-hero experience.
"I like movies like that sometimes, but I never imagined I'd be doing that sort of thing. But it was so much fun. I mean, jumping onto a moving train: cool, turns out!"
O'Connor stars as Daniel Kellner, a young cybersecurity whiz and targeted whistleblower who holds the key to the ultimate truth.
On-Set Chemistry with Emily Blunt & Having Steven on "Speed Dial"
In Disclosure Day, O’Connor’s whistleblower character cross paths with Emily Blunt’s character, Margaret Fairchild—a Kansas City meteorologist who triggers global panic after seemingly being controlled by an extraterrestrial force during a live broadcast.
The camaraderie on set extended well past the camera. During recent press tours, O’Connor, Blunt, and co-star Colman Domingo paid a heart-melting tribute to their director by showing up in vintage Spielberg movie tees (E.T., Jaws, and Jurassic Park).
O'Connor spoke incredibly highly of Spielberg's hands-on approach despite managing a gargantuan production budget:
Attentive Filmmaking: "He’s just extremely attentive, extremely kind, and still as passionate and inquisitive and curious as I imagine he was at the beginning of his career."
The Ultimate Director-Actor Bond: "We’d talk most days about the next day and the week...
It’s like you’ve got Steven on speed dial. It’s kind of crazy, but he really cares. Yeah, the relationship is very special."
What to Expect from 'Disclosure Day'
Backed by Amblin Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures, Disclosure Day promises to be a massive big-screen spectacle.
Disclosure Day releases globally on June 12, 2026.
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