Background and career
Cillian Murphy ( KILL-ee-ən; born 25 May 1976) is an Irish actor and film producer. His works encompass both stage and screen, and his accolades include an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award.
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 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 his first Golden Globe Award nomination.
Murphy is known for his collaborations with filmmaker Christopher Nolan. He appeared in Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy (2005–2012), Inception (2010) and Dunkirk (2017), before receiving the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer (2023). He gained further recognition for his role as Tommy Shelby in the BBC period drama series Peaky Blinders (2013–2022) and its continuation film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (2026).
Murphy was born on 25 May 1976 in Douglas, Cork. His mother taught French while his father, Brendan, worked for the Department of Education. His grandfather, aunts, and uncles were also teachers. He was raised in Ballintemple, Cork, alongside his younger brother Páidi and younger sisters Sile and Orla. He started writing and performing songs at the age of 10.
How Cillian Murphy makes money
The film was favourably reviewed and earned almost $100 million worldwide.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (2026-09-17), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
