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Last updated on the 17 March 2025 by Maeve
Mini Biography
Born: 25 May 1976, Douglas, Cork, Ireland.
Cillian Murphy grew up in a family deeply rooted in education. His mother was a French teacher and his father worked for the Department of Education. Alongside his siblings, he was raised in Ballintemple, Cork. From an early age, Murphy showed a passion for the arts, particularly music and performed in bands during his teenage years. Despite excelling academically at Presentation Brothers College, he often found himself in trouble, though he later redirected his focus.
Cillian Murphy initially pursued law at University College Cork but soon realised his true calling lay in the performing arts. His first taste of acting came during a drama module in secondary school, which ignited his passion for the stage. He eventually joined the Corcadorca Theatre Company, where he starred in the play “Disco Pigs,” a role that marked the beginning of his acting career.
Cillian Murphy’s breakthrough in film came with Danny Boyle’s “28 Days Later” (2002), which garnered international acclaim. He went on to deliver memorable performances in films such as “Breakfast on Pluto” (2005), earning a Golden Globe nomination, and “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” (2006). His collaboration with director Christopher Nolan brought him widespread recognition, with roles in “The Dark Knight” trilogy, “Inception” (2010) and “Oppenheimer” (2023), for which he won an Academy Award. On television, Murphy captivated audiences as Tommy Shelby in the critically acclaimed series “Peaky Blinders” (2013–2022).
In his personal life, Murphy is known for his privacy. He married artist Yvonne McGuinness in 2004 and the couple have two sons. After living in London for years, they relocated to Dublin to raise their children in Ireland. Despite his fame, Murphy remains grounded, valuing family life and artistic integrity above all.
WINNER | Film: Leading Actor for Oppenheimer (2024)
WINNER | Actor in a Leading Role for Oppenheimer (2024)
Suggested viewing
Peaky Blinders (2013)
Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 8.8
In the aftermath of World War I, the Shelby family, led by the shrewd and ambitious Tommy Shelby, rules Birmingham’s streets through their ruthless criminal organisation, the Peaky Blinders. Their power extends beyond the city, as they engage in political maneuvering, illicit deals and cross-border operations, all while grappling with personal demons, familial conflicts and the ever-present threat of rivals and authorities.
Top cast: Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle, Helen McCrory, Finn Cole, Ned Dennehy, Joe Cole, Harry Kirton, Tom Hardy.
The Edge of Love (2008)
Bftv 8.0 / IMDb 6.1
Amidst the backdrop of war-torn London, nightclub singer Vera Phillips rekindles her passion with charismatic Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who is already married to the free-spirited Caitlin Macnamara. The two women, initially rivals, form an unlikely friendship, forming a complex love triangle amidst the chaos of war and the turmoil of their own passionate lives.
Top cast: Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Matthew Rhys, Cillian Murphy, Lisa Stansfield, Richard Dillane, Anne Lambton, Alastair Mackenzie, Camilla Rutherford.
28 Days Later (2002)
Bftv 8.5 / IMDb 7.5
Twenty-eight days after a deadly virus unleashes a wave of aggression and violence across the UK, a lone survivor, Jim, awakens from a coma to find a desolate London overrun by “infected” humans transformed into mindless, murderous creatures. As Jim embarks on a perilous journey to find sanctuary, he encounters a small group of survivors determined to escape the ravaged city and find a place to rebuild civilisation.
Top cast: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, Christopher Eccleston, Noah Huntley, Christopher Dunne, Emma Hitching, Luke Mably.
Sequel
The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)
Bftv 8.5 / IMDb 7.5
Amidst the tumultuous Irish War of Independence, two brothers, Damien and Teddy O’Donovan, unite in the fight for their homeland’s freedom. However, when a controversial treaty is signed, shattering the unity of the movement, the brothers find themselves on opposing sides of a brutal civil war, their loyalties tested and their brotherhood strained by the harsh realities of war.
Top cast: Cillian Murphy, Pádraic Delaney, Liam Cunningham, Orla Fitzgerald, Gerard Kearney, William Ruane, Roger Allam, Laurence Barry, Sabrina Barry.
Related to
   
   
Oppenheimer (2023)
Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 8.5
The film delves into the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, a brilliant physicist who led the development of the atomic bomb during World War II. It explores the moral weight of creating such a destructive weapon, the anxieties and complexities faced by Oppenheimer and his team, and the lasting impact of the bomb’s detonation on both the world and Oppenheimer himself.
Top cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Benny Sadie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett, Rami Malek, Gary Oldman, Tom Conti.
