Thomas Shelby and Oppenheimer: Cillian Murphy’s 7 best roles

The 96th Academy Awards 2024 took place in Los Angeles on the night of March 10-11. The favorite in the race was the film “Oppenheimer”, which won in six categories, including the main category “Best Picture”. The main role in the biographical drama about the “father of the atomic bomb” was played by Cillian Murphy, who received the Oscar for Best Actor. On this occasion, we remember the most striking roles of the Irish actor.

“Disco Pigs”, dir. Kirsten Sheridan (2001)

Two teenage hooligans, Darren and Sinid, cannot live a day without each other: They were born on the same day, live next door and speak a language they understand. When Sinid falls in love with her classmate, Darren can’t forget it. Things are getting out of order. Since Sinid no longer wants to exist in her imaginary fantasy world, it becomes increasingly difficult for her to restrain her bestial cruelty. Can Darren grow up or will he meet a tragic end? Cillian Murphy’s partner in the film was Elaine Cassidy.

“28 Days Later”, dir. Danny Boyle (2002)

A group of environmental activists broke into the Cambridge laboratory and released the experimental monkeys; It turned out that they were infected with the “rage virus”. The scientists’ development was intended for the military to turn them into fearless warriors, but animal bites lead to irreversible consequences, turning people into zombies. 28 days after the incident, hospital patient Jim wakes up to a completely different world.

“Night Flight”, dir. Wes Craven (2005)

After her grandmother’s funeral, Lisa Reisert takes an overnight flight to Miami. On the way home, he meets a cute blue-eyed passenger named Jackson Rippner (aka the Ripper). It turns out that the man is a terrorist and the woman is his hostage. Now he must not only overcome his fear of flying, but also save himself and the unfortunate passengers from death. The thriller stars Cillian Murphy and Rachel McAdams.

“Hell”, dir. Danny Boyle (2007)

2057 Earthlings unsuccessfully struggle with abnormal cooling caused by the gradual dimming of the Sun. The only hope for the star’s revival rests on the shoulders of the crew of the Icarus II spacecraft. The scientists’ mission is to get close enough to the Sun to drop a giant bomb on it, start the reverse process and bring it back to life. However, near Mercury, the pilots receive a distress signal from the previous ship, Icarus I, which was sent on the same mission 7 years ago. They decide to go off course for the sake of the answer, but what they get is not what they expected. This is perhaps Cillian Murphy’s first role as a physicist.

“Anna”, dir. Luc Besson (2019)

1987, Moscow. Anna and her boyfriend Peter use illegal substances and life gets worse quickly. To end this, the blonde decides to join the ranks of the USSR Navy, but as a result is identified as an intelligence agent. He learns quickly and his appearance makes him the perfect weapon in the hands of the state. She is sent on a mission to France to work as a model and obtain classified information, but Anna has plans of her own… In the espionage action thriller, Cillian Murphy played Lenny, the cunning and impartial head of the CIA’s Soviet department. Miller.

Peaky Blinders, dir. Steven Knight (2013 –2022)

In 1919, the Shelby brothers, members of the local Peaky Blinders gang, return to their hometown of Birmingham from the war. While Arthur, the leader of the group by seniority, just wants to do business, his brother Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy) dreams of getting money and legalizing the business. Therefore, he decides to embark on an unprecedented adventure: the theft and sale of state weapons. But after them is a savvy inspector, instructed by Winston Churchill himself and other interested parties. Along the way, Thomas will have to confront the interests of the government, the communists, the Jewish and Italian mafia, and he will also meet a love named Grace who…is not as simple as she seems.

“Oppenheimer”, dir. Christopher Nolan (2023)

“I am death, the destroyer of worlds,” said Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb” and scientist, quoting the words of the god Vishnu. Who is he, a modern Prometheus who wants to end World War II, or a murderer who takes the blood of thousands of innocents on his hands? A brilliant mind who wants to understand the secrets of the universe? Or maybe just someone who finds himself a victim of political intrigue? The director sheds light on all these questions by revealing the versatile personality of the scientist. Not only his scientific activities, but also his love for two different women, discussions about anti-Semitism, and conversations with Einstein are also scrutinized. Cillian Murphy received his first Oscar statuette for his masterful portrayal of the hero.