Cillian Murphy on post-Oscar career — are major roles slipping

Irish actor Cillian Murphy has opened up about the impact of his 2024 Academy Award win on his career, admitting that landing major film roles hasn’t been as immediate as fans might expect. Murphy received the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s critically acclaimed epic.

This was reported by Independent.

"Maybe some day it will. Or maybe it’s too late," Murphy admits on post-Oscar roles

Since then, Murphy has taken on roles in the historical drama Small Things Like These and is currently promoting the classroom drama Steve. Reflecting on his post-Oscar opportunities:

"No, because I had these other two films straight away. I just wasn’t available, so it didn’t happen. Maybe some day it will. Or maybe it’s too late."

Murphy’s upcoming projects include a cameo in the 28 Days Later sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, followed by a return to his iconic role as Thomas Shelby in the Netflix film The Immortal Man.

Commenting on 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Murphy praised director Nia DaCosta:

"I think she’s made an extraordinary film, and it’s an amazing accompaniment to Danny’s movie. I’m only in it a tiny bit, but I’m really proud of it."

Meanwhile, Steve, adapted from Max Porter’s novella Shy, has received mixed reviews. Critics note that while the story dives deep into the turbulent mind of a teenage boy at a boarding school for troubled youth in England, the cinematic adaptation shifts the perspective to the headteacher, which yields a bold but uneven result.

Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent remarked that:

"As Steve becomes the centre of our attention — and how could he not be, when he’s played by the extraordinary Cillian Murphy — Shy is sidelined. He becomes the curious, tragic puzzle everyone’s trying to solve."

Despite some critical debate, Murphy’s performances continue to demonstrate his versatility and enduring presence in both independent and blockbuster cinema, even as he navigates the unpredictable landscape of post-Oscar opportunities.

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