Cillian Murphy created history by becoming first Irish-born actor to win an Oscar award.
Murphy received the Best Actor honour at the 96th Academy awards on Sunday, March 11, 2024, for playing the role of a nuclear physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer with gratitude towards his longtime collaborator and the director of Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan and producer Emma Thomas.
"It's been the wildest, most exhilarating, most creatively satisfying journey you've taken me on over the last 20 years. I owe you more than I can say."
He continued. "Thank you so much [to] every single crew member, every single cast member, on Oppenheimer; you guys carried me through. All my fellow nominees, I remain in awe of you guys. Truly."
The Batman Begins actor also thanked the "incredible team" of Oppenheimer and his family, including wife Yvonne McGuinness and their sons, sitting in the audience.
“My two boys who are sitting up there, I love you so much, and I’m a very proud Irishman standing here tonight,” he said.
Cillian Murphy concluded his winning speech noting, "We made a film about the man who created the atomic bomb. And for better or for worse, we're all living in Oppenheimer's world, so I would really like to dedicate this to the peacemakers everywhere."
Oppenheimer, released on July 21, 2023, marks Cillian Murphy and Nolan’s sixth collaboration, as he has previously work with the acclaimed director on films like, Dunkirk, Batman trilogy, and Inception.
Cillian Muphy, who rose to the new heights of fame and success with his role of Thomas Shelby in BBC’s crime-thriller drama The Peaky Blinders also earned Golden Globes, BAFTAs and SAG Awards for Oppenheimer before winning his first ever Oscar.
Besides Cillian, the other actors nominated in the same category were, Paul Giamatti, Bradley Cooper, Colman Domingo, and Jeffrey Wright.
