Baftas 2024: Cillian Murphy becomes first Irish star to win ‘Best Actor’
For his astounding performance in Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy has won the Bafta for ‘Best Actor in a Leading Role’, making him the first Irish actor to receive the prize.
Murphy began his ascent to stardom on stage in the late 1990s before securing acclaimed film roles in the 2000s, such as 28 Days Later, Breakfast on Pluto, and The Wind That Shakes the Barley.
The 2010s saw him rise even more with parts in Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Peaky Blinders, Dunkirk and Oppenheimer. The latter has helped cement his status as one of the industry’s greatest modern actors.
His performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer, one of the leading men responsible for inventing the deadly atomic bomb, was flawless. It is unsurprising that he nabbed the prestigious award – his first Bafta win.
Accepting his prize, he referenced Christopher Nolan, stating, “Thank you, Chris, for seeing something in me that I probably didn’t see in myself. For the wonderful script and for pushing me, and always demanding excellence.”
He referred to his co-stars and crew as his “Oppenhomies” before adding: “One man’s monster is another man’s hero, and that’s why we make movies. So we have a space to celebrate, interrogate and investigate that complexity. It’s a privilege to be a part of this community with you all.”
Murphy had tough competition to beat, including Barry Keoghan (Saltburn), Teo Yoo (Past Lives), Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers), Colman Domingo (Rustin) and Bradley Cooper (Maestro).
In a four-star review of Oppenheimer, Far Out praised the actor, writing, “Murphy delivers a performance of dedication, nuance and, most importantly, believability.
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