When you think of commanding performances on screen, chances are, Cillian Murphy is the actor whose name springs to mind. Having been in some of the biggest movies of the past couple of decades and playing some unforgettable characters, there’s no denying his success and unique style as an actor. Here we take a closer look at why Cillian Murphy has become one of the most admired actors of contemporary cinema.
Early Life and Career
Cillian Murphy was born and raised in County Cork, Ireland and gained an interest in performance at an early age. After graduating from University College Cork in engineering, he set out to pursue an acting career. His big break came following a minor role in the hour-long RTÉ drama Into the West (1992) and he was soon cast in a series of starring roles in independent Irish films, such as The Tale of Sweety Barrett (1998) and Discovery of Heaven (2001).
His Hollywood Breakthrough
2002 was a pivotal year for Cillian Murphy – as well as starring in Rebecca Miller’s widely praised Independent film, Personal Velocity, he made his first foray into Hollywood with Danny Boyle’s post-apocalyptic masterpiece, 28 Days Later, opposite Naomie Harris and Christopher Eccleston. Playing the conflicted lead character of Jim, the silent hero’s strength and vulnerability captivated audiences worldwide and marked Cillian’s breakthrough role in Hollywood.
Performance Style
One of the biggest aspects of Cillian Murphy’s appeal is his performance style – he inhabits a character both physically and emotionally with swift and subtlety. His performance has been described as both ‘tremendously physical’ and ‘emotionally sensitive’. He frequently employs pauses and whispers to express a character’s innermost thoughts and feelings and never fails to evoke feelings of empathy and understanding.
Notable Film Roles
Though Cillian Murphy has had several successful roles, some of the standout performances that have given him much acclaim include:
• Inception (2010): An action thriller directed by Christopher Nolan, in which Cillian played the mysterious Cobb, a man pulled into a world of high-end thievery, espionage and secrets.
• Red Eye (2005): A psychological thriller in which Murphy play a young man coerced by a psychopathic killer to change his plane ticket in what becomes a terrifyingly high stakes game.
• Peaky Blinders (2013-2019): In this BBC period drama created by Steven Knight, Cillian Murphy stars as Thomas Shelby; the gang leader of a family crime syndicate who find themselves in fierce conflict with rivals in 1920s post-war Birmingham. The character of Shelby has been praised for its complexity and for bringing a reality to the 1920s underworld.
• The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006): This award-winning film directed by Ken Loach explored the struggles of two Irish brothers accidentally thrown together by the conflict of the Irish War of Independence. Here, Cillian Murphy plays the younger, idealistic Damien character, who spearheaded the revolution of their county against British forces in 1920.
Awards and Recognition
Throughout his career, Cillian Murphy has been recognised for his talents, winning numerous awards and nominations. He has won two Irish Film and Television awards as well as a British Independent Film Award and Satellite Award. He was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards in 2014 and 2015 as best actor in a miniseries or television film.
Cillian Murphy is, without a doubt, one of the most compelling actors of modern times – he leaves a lasting impression with his multi-faceted performances, displaying depth and balance, even in his most silent moments. No matter the role, he injects real emotion into his performance, allowing audiences to truly invest in his character; and its this that has cemented his reputation as one of the most captivating and watchable actors on-screen.
