Cillian Murphy wins his first best actor Oscar for role in ‘Oppenheimer' biopic
Cillian Murphy came away from the Academy Awards with his first Oscar, the best actor statuette for his role in “Oppenheimer.”
By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.
Published - Mar 11, 2024, 12:01 AM ET
Last Updated - Mar 11, 2024, 12:01 AM EDT
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cillian Murphy called himself a “very proud Irishman” after he trotted onstage to claim his first-ever Oscar for portraying the man who created the atomic bomb in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster biopic “Oppenheimer.”
“I'm a little overwhelmed,” said Murphy, who won best actor for his stellar role as J. Robert Oppenheimer. The film tells the story of how Oppenheimer and his peers at Los Alamos would test the bomb on July 16, 1945, not knowing what was going to happen — and the ensuing fallout.
“I'm very humbled,” he said backstage. “I'm very grateful.”
Murphy, though a regular presence in Nolan films going back almost two decades, had always been a supporting player. This time, Nolan wanted him to lead.
