Cillian Murphy (pronounced Kill-ee-an) is a hot topic right now, following the release of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” and the incredible praise the Irishman is receiving for his work in the titular role. Though he’s been around for quite some time, many casual movie fans aren’t likely to know Cillian Murphy as well as they (maybe) should.
Here’s our Take on the life and work of beloved Irish actor, Cillian Murphy.
Personal Life
Cillian Murphy is an Irish actor, born on 25th May 1976 in Douglas, County Cork, Ireland. He is the oldest child of Brendan Murphy, and grew up in Ballintemple, a suburb of Cork, and attended Presentation Brothers College, a secondary school known for its strong drama program.
In terms of his personal life, Murphy maintains a relatively private profile compared to many of his Hollywood peers, and has expressed disinterest in changing that. He is firmly offline and avoidant of talk shows, though he partakes in the occasional interview.
He is known for his long-term relationship with his wife, Yvonne McGuinness, who is a visual artist. The couple met in 1996 at a music gig for Cillian’s old band and married in 2004. They have two sons together, Malachy (born in 2005) and Aran (born in 2007). In interviews, Cillian has talked about how he and his sons watch films together, citing La Haine and Apocalypse Now as some of their joint favorites.
Murphy and his family initially lived in London, England, but in 2015, they moved back to Ireland, settling in Dublin. This relocation was reportedly motivated by a desire to be closer to their families and for their sons to grow up in Ireland.
Career
Cillian Murphy’s acting career began in the mid-1990s, but it was not until the early 2000s that he gained international recognition. Prior to his acting career, Murphy had aspirations to be a rock musician and even had a contract offer for his band, ‘The Sons of Mr. Green Genes’, but ultimately decided to focus on acting.
Murphy’s early career in the mid to late 90s included various roles in Irish and British television shows and films, including his debut film role in “The Tale of Sweety Barrett” (1998). In 1999, he starred in the short film “Sunburn”. He also performed in several stage productions, notably the 1999 production of “Disco Pigs,” a role he reprised in the 2001 film.
Murphy’s big film break came in 2002 when he starred in Danny Boyle’s post-apocalyptic horror film “28 Days Later.” His performance as Jim, a bicycle courier who awakens from a coma to find London devastated by a virus, was widely praised and put him on the international radar. He worked with Boyle again in 2007 on the film “Sunshine”.
He continued to star in a range of film genres over the next few years. Notably, he played an Irish transgender woman ‘Kitten’ in “Breakfast on Pluto” (2005), the film adaptation of the Pat Mccabe novel of the same name. He also took on the villainous Scarecrow in Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins” (2005) after auditioning for Batman himself, but relinquishing the role to Christian Bale (who both Nolan and Murphy believe to be the better choice). He also introduced a certain level of range with his lead villain role as Jackson Rippner in “Red Eye” (2005). His performance in “Breakfast on Pluto” earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical.
In 2006 he stared in the war film “The Wind that Shakes the Barley” which is set during the Irish War of Independence in the 1920s. He has stated that this role is very close to his heart, as he was proud to be able to represent such an important piece of Irish history.
Murphy’s relationship with director Christopher Nolan continued with roles in more high-profile films, like the science-fiction thriller “Inception” (2010), “The Dark Knight” (2008) and “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012) in which he returns as The Scarecrow, and the World War II film “Dunkirk” (2017).
However, Murphy is perhaps best known for his lead role as Thomas Shelby in the British tv show “Peaky Blinders” (2013-2022), set in post-World War I Birmingham. His performance has received critical acclaim and has won him several awards, further solidifying his reputation as a talented and versatile actor, and cementing the show as his most well-known work.
Despite being known for his roles in films and television (and perhaps specifically for his villain roles), Murphy has remained involved in the theatre. In 2014, he starred in Enda Walsh’s one-man play “Ballyturk,” and reprised his role from “Disco Pigs” for its 20th-anniversary run in 2017.
Murphy has been praised for his intense performances and his ability to fully inhabit a range of diverse characters. He is known for his professionalism, deep preparation for roles, and his choice to prioritize the quality of the projects he works on over the size of the roles. His work extends across theater, television, and film, making him one of the most respected actors of his generation.
He is also incredibly well-known for his intensely blue eyes, which his “Oppenheimer” cast-mates have joked made it difficult to work one on one with him (as they fear they may drown in his “ocean eyes”). (Insider)
“Oppenheimer”, which was released on July 21st, 2023, may become Murphy’s biggest role to date. The film marks Murphy’s sixth collaboration with Chris Nolan movies, but his first time in a leading role for the director. The 3-hour epic follows the theoretical physicist Oppenheimer’s perspective as he rushes to create the first atomic bomb, and subsequently grapples with the consequences of doing so.
Sources
Goh, Amanda. “The cast of ‘Oppenheimer’ said they were constantly distracted by Cillian Murphy’s piercing ‘ocean eyes’ while on set” Insider, 23 Jul 2023 https://www.insider.com/cillian-murphy-blue-ocean-eyes-distraction-on-oppenheimer-set-2023-7