Cillian Murphy
Biography
Cillian Murphy is an Irish actor and film producer whose career spans stage and screen. His professional acting debut came in 1996 in Enda Walsh's play Disco Pigs, and he later reprised that part in the 2001 film version. Early screen credits include 28 Days Later (2002), Intermission (2003), Red Eye (2005), The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006), and Sunshine (2007), while Breakfast on Pluto (2005) brought him his first Golden Globe nomination. Murphy appeared in several films by Christopher Nolan, including Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), Inception (2010), and Dunkirk (2017). His lead role as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer (2023) earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award. On television, he played Tommy Shelby in the BBC series Peaky Blinders and returned to the role in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (2026).
50years old
Turns 51 on May 25in 223 days
- Born Douglas
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
Movie Career
- Films
- 36
- Career span
- 27 years1999 to 2026
Genres
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A role that slipped away
Murphy auditioned for the role of Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins, but the lead went to Christian Bale; impressed, Christopher Nolan instead gave him the supporting part of Dr. Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow.
Big break
Murphy tried out six times for the part of Damien O'Donovan in The Wind That Shakes the Barley, a young doctor who becomes a revolutionary, and he won the role.
Behind the camera
Murphy directed his first music video in 2013, for the band Money's single Hold Me Forever. Dancers from the English National Ballet appear in it, and it was filmed at The Old Vic Theatre in London.
Big break
Murphy played Thomas Shelby in the BBC series Peaky Blinders starting in 2013. Director Steven Knight first chose Jason Statham, but after a text from Murphy reading, "Remember, I'm an actor", Knight picked Murphy.
Cillian Murphy movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Christopher Nolan directed five of these films, Danny Boyle two and Tim Mielants two. Brendan Gleeson appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Brendan Gleeson's page
Michael Caine's page
Morgan Freeman's page
Ken Watanabe's page
Liam Neeson's page
Toby Jones's page
All films by Christopher Nolan
All films by Danny Boyle
Tim MielantsDirector, 2 films, 2024 to 2025
All films by Tim Mielants
Also two films together28 more actors
- Gary OldmanThe Dark Knight (2008) and Batman Begins (2005)
- Tom WilkinsonBatman Begins (2005) and Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
- Tim RothPeaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (2026) and Broken (2012)
- Christian BaleThe Dark Knight (2008) and Batman Begins (2005)
- Stephen ReaBreakfast on Pluto (2005) and On the Edge (2001)
- Emily WatsonSteve (2025) and Small Things Like These (2024)
- Kenneth BranaghOppenheimer (2023) and Dunkirk (2017)
- Emily BluntOppenheimer (2023) and A Quiet Place Part II (2021)
- Lukas HaasTranscendence (2014) and Inception (2010)
- Tom HardyDunkirk (2017) and Inception (2010)
- Liam CunninghamPerrier's Bounty (2009) and The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)
- James D'ArcyOppenheimer (2023) and The Trench (1999)
- Ben WhishawIn the Heart of the Sea (2015) and The Trench (1999)
- Ellen PageInception (2010) and Peacock (2010)
- Ned DennehyPeaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (2026) and Perrier's Bounty (2009)
- Michael McElhattonPerrier's Bounty (2009) and Intermission (2003)
- Barry KeoghanPeaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (2026) and Dunkirk (2017)
- Brían F. O'ByrneIntermission (2003) and Disco Pigs (2001)
- Michelle FairleySmall Things Like These (2024) and In the Heart of the Sea (2015)
- Bill MilnerAnthropoid (2016) and Broken (2012)
- Sam KeeleyAnthropoid (2016) and In the Heart of the Sea (2015)
- Eva BirthistleThe Delinquent Season (2018) and Breakfast on Pluto (2005)
- Colin McFarlaneThe Dark Knight (2008) and Batman Begins (2005)
- Padraic DelaneyPerrier's Bounty (2009) and The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)
- Owen RoeBreakfast on Pluto (2005) and Intermission (2003)
- Jay LycurgoPeaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (2026) and Steve (2025)
- Derry PowerIntermission (2003) and Disco Pigs (2001)
- Pat McCabePerrier's Bounty (2009) and Breakfast on Pluto (2005)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Cillian Murphy's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$4.7 billion
26 of the 36 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 36 films: 26 worldwide figure; 1 never in cinemas; 2 streaming, short cinema run; 7 figure not found.
- 26Worldwide figure
- 1Never in cinemas
- 2Streaming, short cinema run
- 7Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 91% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$1.0B21.4% of the total
- 2$952M20.2% of the total
- 3$839M17.8% of the total
- 4$549M11.7% of the total
- 5$374M8.0% of the total
- 6$297M6.3% of the total
- 7$174M3.7% of the total
- 8$103M2.2% of the total
$409 millionfrom the other 18 films with a worldwide figure, 9% of the total
Awards
Five awards and honors from 2012 to 2024, four of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 2024 | Best Actor | Oppenheimer | Won |
| Golden Globes | |||
| 2023 | Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama | Oppenheimer | Won |
| BAFTA | |||
| 2024 | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Oppenheimer | Won |
| SAG Awards | |||
| 2024 | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role | Oppenheimer | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| 2012 | Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show | Won | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.