Cillian Murphy
5.5Acting

Cillian Murphy

May 25, 1976 - Douglas, Cork, Ireland

Cillian Murphy (born May 25, 1976) is an Irish actor.

He made his professional debut in Enda Walsh's 1996 play Disco Pigs, a role he later reprised in the 2001 screen adaptation. His early notable film credits include the horror film 28 Days Later (2002), the dark comedy Intermission (2003), the thriller Red Eye (2005), the Irish war drama The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006), and the science fiction thriller Sunshine (2007). He played a transgender Irish woman in the comedy-drama Breakfast on Pluto (2005), which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination.

Murphy began collaborating with filmmaker Christopher Nolan in 2005, playing Dr. Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow in The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012) as well as appearing in Inception (2010) and Dunkirk (2017) and portraying the lead role of J. Robert Oppenheimer in the biographical epic Oppenheimer (2023). By the year 2023, Murphy has already worked with Nolan for around 20 years and six films. He also gained prominence for his role as Tommy Shelby in the BBC period drama series Peaky Blinders (2013–2022) and for starring in the horror sequel A Quiet Place Part II (2020).

In 2011, Murphy won the Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Actor and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance for the one-man play Misterman. In 2020, The Irish Times named him one of the greatest Irish film actors.

Credits

Cast

Media
Movie2008The Dark KnightScarecrow
Movie200228 Days LaterJim
Movie2005Batman BeginsDr. Jonathan Crane
Movie2006The Wind That Shakes the BarleyDamien
Movie2007SunshineCapa
Movie2005Breakfast on PlutoPatrick 'Kitten' Braden
Movie2023OppenheimerJ. Robert Oppenheimer
MovieN/AThe Immortal Man: A Peaky Blinders FilmThomas 'Tommy' Shelby
Movie2003Cold MountainBardolph
Movie2003Girl with a Pearl EarringPieter
Movie2007Watching the DetectivesNeil
Movie2010PeacockJohn Skillpa / Emma Skillpa
Movie2005Red EyeJackson Rippner
Movie1999The TrenchRag Rookwood
Movie2006The Silent CityUnnamed Character
Movie2001Disco PigsPig / Darren
Movie2010InceptionRobert Fischer, Jr.
Movie2009Perrier's BountyMichael McCrea
Movie2008The Edge of LoveWilliam Killick
Movie2024Small Things Like TheseBill Furlong
Movie1999SunburnDavin McDerby
Movie2003IntermissionJohn
Movie2012The Dark Knight RisesDr. Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow
Movie2011In TimeRaymond Leon
Movie2001On the EdgeJonathan Breech
Movie2011RetreatMartin
Movie2019The Irish RevolutionSelf - Narrator (voice)
Movie2012Red LightsTom Buckley
Movie2012BrokenMike Kiernan
Movie2001How Harry Became a TreeGus
Movie2014TranscendenceAgent Donald Buchanan
Movie2006The Making of 'Red Eye'Self
Movie2023Inside Christopher Nolan's OppenheimerSelf - J. Robert Oppenheimer
Movie2015In the Heart of the SeaMatthew Joy
Movie2014AloftIvan
Movie2025SteveSteve
Movie2017Free FireChris
Movie2000Filleann an FeallGer
Movie2001WatchmenPhil
Movie2010TRON: LegacyEdward Dillinger (uncredited)
Movie2000A Man of Few WordsBest Man
Movie1999At Death's DoorYoung Reaper
Movie1999EvictionBrendan McBride
Movie2016AnthropoidJosef Gabčík
MovieN/ABlood Runs CoalChip Yablonski
Movie1999Sweety BarrettPat the Barman
Movie2015Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on EarthHimself - Narrator
Movie2017DunkirkShivering Soldier
Movie2016Versus: The Life and Films of Ken LoachSelf - Actor
Movie2017The PartyTom
Movie2018The Delinquent SeasonJim
Movie2019AnnaLenny Miller
Movie2018The OvercoatAkaky (voice)
Movie2024Kensuke's KingdomDad (voice)
Movie2021A Quiet Place Part IIEmmett
Movie2008WaveridersNarrator
Movie2019I'm the ManNarrator
MovieN/APeaky Blinders: A Peek Behind the CurtainThomas Shelby / Tommy / Himself
Movie2006Carry On KenSelf
Movie2021All of This Unreal TimeMan
Movie2014Lennon or McCartneySelf
Movie2018The Silent ManThe Doll
Movie2014From the MountainMan
Movie1997QuandoPat
MovieN/AUntitled Prison Film
Movie202628 Years Later Part 2: The Bone TempleJim
MovieN/A28 Years Later Part 3Jim
Movie2007Hippie Hippie ShakeDavid Neville
TV Show2021Fight for First: Excel EsportsNarrator5
TV Show2001The Way We Live NowPaul Montague4
TV Show2013Peaky BlindersThomas Shelby36
TV Show2005The Late Late Show with Craig FergusonSelf1
TV Show1944Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Nominee1
TV Show2014Late Night with Seth MeyersSelf1
TV Show2003Jimmy Kimmel Live!Self1
TV Show2012Honest TrailersRobert J. Oppenheimer (archive footage)1
TV Show196860 MinutesSelf1
TV Show2014Variety Studio: Actors on ActorsSelf1
TV Show1953The OscarsSelf1
TV Show2019The Irish RevolutionSelf - Narrator (voice)3
TV Show2020A World of CalmNarrator1
TV Show1953The OscarsSelf - Presenter1
TV Show2012Honest TrailersJonathan Crane (archive footage)1

Crew

Media
Movie2001WatchmenWriterWriting
Movie202528 Years LaterExecutive ProducerProduction
Movie2025SteveProducerProduction
MovieN/ABlood Runs CoalProducerProduction
Movie202628 Years Later Part 2: The Bone TempleExecutive ProducerProduction
MovieN/A28 Years Later Part 3Executive ProducerProduction
Movie2024Small Things Like TheseProducerProduction
MovieN/AThe Immortal Man: A Peaky Blinders FilmProducerProduction
TV Show2013Peaky BlindersExecutive ProducerProduction