Devon Bostick: Rodrick from Diary of a Wimpy Kid is in Oppenheimer

Canadian actor Devon Bostick will appear in Christopher Nolan’s latest film, alongside stars such as Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh and Robert Downey Jr.

Devon Bostick, who played Rodrick in the Diary of Wimpy Kid films, will appear in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. Image: Getty

Devon Bostwick, an actor best known for the Diary of a Wimpy kid movies, will appear in upcoming blockbuster Oppenheimer.

The film, which is directed by Christopher Nolan, is a biographical thriller based on the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist who helped develop the first nuclear weapons.

Its star-studded cast includes actors such as Cillian Murphy and Matt Damon, but also – to the surprise of younger audiences – Rodrick Heffley himself.

Christopher Nolan agrees 'Rodrick Rules'

Bostick has been acting since 2003, but it was his role in the first three Diary of Wimpy Kid movies which made him an instantly recognisable figure. So much so that when Rodrick was recast in 2017 instalment Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul, fans on social media immediately created the #NotMyRodrick meme.

Since playing Rodrick, Bostick has appeared in a number of productions including science fiction show The 100, action series Most Dangerous Game and, most recently, a recurring role in Arnold Schwarzenegger's Netflix comedy FUBAR.

Actors Devon Bostick, Jake Gyllenhaal, Lily Collins, Paul Dano, Tilda Swinton, director Bong Joon-Ho, actors Ahn Seo-Hyun and Steven Yeun attend the "Okja" screening during the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival. Image: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

And though his role in Oppenheimer may come as a surprise to those who know him best as Rodrick, it’s not Bostick’s first time working with a notable director. In 2017, he appeared in Parasite director Bong Joon Ho’s Okja alongside stars such as Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Jake Gyllenhaal, Steven Yeun and more.

Despite Bostick's steady career, his time as Rodrick is so unforgettable that Christopher Nolan himself has even acknowledged it.

In an interview with TikTok influencer Reece Feldman, Nolan says "Rodrick Rules" before going on to add that Bostick "has his moment" in Opppenheimer.

Who does Devon Bostick play in Oppenheimer?

In Oppenheimer, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid actor will play Seth Neddermeyer.

Neddermyer was an American physicist who co-discovered the muon, a subatomic particle which is among the building blocks of the universe. He also proposed the first serious theoretical analysis of implosion while working on the Manhattan Project.

Though Neddermyer was demoted during the project, the implosion design was used in a number of tests, including Trinity, which was the code name of the first detonation of a nuclear weapon.

Oppenheimer cast

The cast for Nolan’s biography film is extensive and includes Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, and Emily Blunt in main roles.

Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Sir Kenneth Branagh, and Benny Safdie are also set to appear. The cast will also feature The Boys star Jack Quaid, Chronicle actor Dane Dehaan and David Dastmalchian, who has appeared in movies including Ant-Man and Dune.

Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Cillian Murphy, Christopher Nolan, Robert Downey Jr. and Josh Hartnett attend the "Oppenheimer" UK Premiere. Image: Getty

But there are some cast members who may pique the interest of younger audiences.

Alex Wolff, who is known for his roles in Hereditary and the new Jumanji films, will play physicist Luis Walter Alvarez in Oppenheimer. The American actor began his career on screen in Nickelodeon series The Naked Brothers Band, which he starred in along with his older brother Nat.

However, he isn’t the only Nickelodeon star set to appear in Oppenheimer. Josh Peck, who starred in children’s sitcom Drake & Josh, will portray Harvard physicist Kenneth Bainbridge in the upcoming film. Peck's recently led Disney+ series Turner & Hooch, which was based on the film of the same name, and is known for his vlogging YouTube channel which has more than 3 million followers.