Cillian Murphy Thanks His Wife and Kids for 'Putting Up with Me' as He Accepts Award forOppenheimer

Mar. 15, 2025

Cillian Murphy accepts the Desert Palm Achievement Award during the Palm Springs International Film Awards on Jan. 4, 2024.Photo:Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Award season is off to a winning start forCillian Murphy.

TheOppenheimeractor, 47, was honored with the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor, on Thursday during the Palm Springs International Film Awards.

“Two-thirds of them are sitting down there. We had to leave one of them at home doing exams,” said the Irish actor. “But just thanks for putting up with me — putting up with the half me and the shadow me and the absent me, the remains of me when I’m doing a film like this or work in general.”

“You’re always there. I love it. So thanks, guys,” he added.

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Cillian Murphy inOppenheimer(2023).Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

Ina press release, Palm Springs International Film Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi called Murphy’s performance a “career-best,” praising his “stunning portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer as a conflicted scientist leading the Manhattan Project to produce the world’s first atomic bomb.”

Like many who have seenOppenheimer, Downey was floored with Murphy’s transformative performance as the physicist wholed the U.S. effort to create an atomic bombduring World War II.

“He knew it was going to be a behemoth ask when Chris called him. But I think he also had the humility that is required to survive playing a role like this,” added Downey.

“We’d be like, ‘Hey, we got a three-day weekend. Maybe we’ll go antiquing in Santa Fe. What are you going to do?’ ‘Oh, I have to learn 30,000 words of Dutch. Have a nice time.’ But that’s the nature of the ask,” Downey explained.

Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. at the Palm Springs International Film Awards on Jan. 4, 2024.Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Florence Pugh, who shares most of her scenes with Murphy as Jean Tatlock, one of the loves of Oppenheimer’s life, offered further praise to thePeaky Blindersactor.

“Chris had one of the most incredible leads in Cillian,” Pugh, 28, told PEOPLE. “He is an actor that I have been watching for quite some time and have been desperate to work with for ages. You’d have to be mad to say no. It was truly one of the best experiences that I’ve had.”

“Working with him was hugely impressive,” she continued. “Every single day he shows up knowing every single possible way, intonation, inflection ofhow to bring this character to life.”

“That was hugely impressive to me. There’s a reason why he is one of the greats,” Pugh added.

Oppenheimeris now available on demand.

source: people.com