Cillian Murphy is an Oscar-winning Irish actor, born on 25 May 1976 in Douglas, County Cork, Ireland. As of October 2026, he is 50 years old. He is best known for playing the title role in Oppenheimer and for playing Thomas Shelby in the BBC series Peaky Blinders.
Known for his intense and restrained screen presence, Murphy has built a career across independent films, major blockbusters and television, while keeping his private life largely out of the public eye.
Early Life
Murphy is the son of a school inspector father and a French teacher mother. He was raised in Ballintemple, Cork. He studied law at University College Cork but left to pursue acting. Before theatre, he played in bands, notably The Sons of Mr. Green Genes, who were offered a record deal that he turned down. His stage breakthrough came with Disco Pigs in 1996, with the Corcadorca Theatre Company in Cork. The play toured internationally, and a film version followed in 2001.
Career
His film breakthrough came with 28 Days Later in 2002, directed by Danny Boyle, in which he played Jim. He then played Dr. Jonathan Crane, also known as Scarecrow, in Batman Begins in 2005, a role he reprised in The Dark Knight in 2008 and The Dark Knight Rises in 2012. His other early work includes Breakfast on Pluto in 2005, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination, and The Wind That Shakes the Barley in 2006, which won the Palme d'Or. He went on to appear in Inception in 2010, Dunkirk in 2017 and A Quiet Place Part II in 2020. From 2013 to 2022, he starred as Thomas Shelby in six series of the BBC drama Peaky Blinders, a career-defining role.
Oppenheimer and Recent Work
In Oppenheimer in 2023, Murphy played J. Robert Oppenheimer. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 96th Academy Awards in March 2024, his first Oscar. He also won BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG Best Actor awards for the role, and Oppenheimer won Best Picture. In 2024, he starred as coal merchant Bill Furlong in Small Things Like These, which opened the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2024, and he also produced the film. In Steve, released on Netflix on October 3, 2025, Murphy plays head teacher Steve at a last-chance reform school in mid-90s England. The film was directed by Tim Mielants from Max Porter's novel Shy, and co-stars Tracey Ullman, Emily Watson and Jay Lycurgo.
Personal Life
Murphy has been married to visual artist Yvonne McGuinness since 2004, and they have two sons. He lives in Dublin, having returned from London in 2015. He is known for avoiding celebrity culture and social media. A Peaky Blinders film has been reported as in development, with further details reported separately.
Watch the Official Video
Watch the official Steve trailer from Netflix below.
FAQ
How old is Cillian Murphy? He was born on 25 May 1976, which makes him 50 years old as of October 2026.
What did he win the Oscar for? He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for playing J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer (2023).
Who does he play in Peaky Blinders? He plays Thomas Shelby, the central figure of the BBC series, which ran from 2013 to 2022.
What is Steve about? Steve follows head teacher Steve at a last-chance reform school in mid-90s England.
You may also like: Barry Keoghan biography, Robert Pattinson biography, Christian Bale biography, Tom Holland biography.
0 Comments
Please don't enter any spam link in the comment box.
Emoji