This Cillian Murphy Facial Feature Distracted His ‘Oppenheimer’ Co-Stars
For years, Cillian Murphy has been one of Hollywood’s underrated heartthrobs. A versatile actor who has appeared in everything from thrillers to historical dramas, Murphy is probably best known for his collaborations with director Christopher Nolan. Nolan has directed Murphy in The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, Dunkirk, and most recently, Oppenheimer.
While Murphy’s acting has always taken center stage, his striking looks have also distracted his co-stars on occasion. Murphy’s Oppenheimer castmates admitted as much when doing press for the film. They revealed that one particular feature of Murphy’s threw them off their game from time to time.
Cillian Murphy rose to fame in the early 2000s
Murphy was born in Ireland in 1976. By the mid-’90s, he had started his movie career. It wasn’t long until Hollywood took notice of Murphy’s perfect cheekbones and intense stare. In the early 2000s, he landed several roles in movies like Red Eye, 28 Days Later, and Intermission.
Early on in his career, Murphy showed a willingness to tackle outrageous and unexpected roles, most notably in the 2005 film Breakfast on Pluto, where Murphy played a transgender woman.
After embarking on his lucrative partnership with Nolan in 2002, Murphy’s star rose even higher. He also landed a high-profile part in the hit BBC drama Peaky Blinders, playing the role of Tommy Shelby. Murphy has done a little bit of everything in his career. However, his latest movie, Oppenheimer, is possibly his most iconic.
What did Cillian Murphy’s ‘Oppenheimer’ co-stars say about his eyes?
Murphy is an understated celebrity, preferring to remain out of the spotlight whenever possible and rarely singing his own praises. Still, he’s well-known as one of the entertainment industry’s most attractive and intense personalities. Murphy is recognized for his piercing blue eyes, a feature that served to distract his Oppenheimer co-stars to no end.
Matt Damon was just one of Murphy’s co-stars in the film who spoke out about being distracted by his eyes, telling People, “It’s a real problem when you’re doing scene work with Cillian. Sometimes, you find yourself just swimming in his eyes.”
Emily Blunt, who plays the wife of Murphy’s character in the film, agreed wholeheartedly with Damon. She told the publication, “It’s like that ‘Ocean Eyes’ song by Billie Eilish. We just hum it all day.” Murphy, sitting alongside both Blunt and Damon, disagreed with their characterization of his eye color, protesting, “They’re not even that blue!”
Cillian Murphy is earning acclaim for his work in ‘Oppenheimer’
Murphy’s eyes might have distracted those around him, but he remained laser-focused on producing a career-best performance. Playing J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist who pioneered the Manhattan Project during World War II, Murphy totally immerses himself in the role, transforming into the controversial scientist. He’s earning rave reviews for his work, too.
CNN praised Murphy’s performance, writing, “A Nolan favorite featured in several of his films, Murphy delivers a career-topping performance. Oppenheimer became haunted by the morality of what he had midwife, and his messy personal life and affairs coexisted with his beautiful mind — a duality the actor conveys in a way that overshadows the bigger names in supporting roles.”
With this incredible performance under his belt and a wealth of opportunities ahead of him, there’s no telling what the future holds for Murphy, an actor who has always been so dedicated to his craft. Fans who want to see Murphy in action can see Oppenheimer in theatres now.
