Cillian Murphy - Actor Profile

Cillian Murphy

Acting
Updated: May 09, 2026
50Total Films
9.0 Highest Rated
Born: May 25, 1976
Birth Place: Douglas, Cork, Ireland

About Cillian Murphy

Cillian Murphy (born May 25, 1976) is an Irish actor. He made his professional debut in Enda Walsh's 1996 play Disco Pigs, a role he later reprised in the 2001 screen adaptation. His early notable film credits include the horror film 28 Days Later (2002), the dark comedy Intermission (2003), the thriller Red Eye (2005), the Irish war drama The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006), and the science fiction thriller Sunshine (2007). He played a transgender Irish woman in the comedy-drama Breakfast on Pluto (2005), which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination. Murphy began collaborating with filmmaker Christopher Nolan in 2005, playing Dr. Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow in The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012) as well as appearing in Inception (2010) and Dunkirk (2017) and portraying the lead role of J. Robert Oppenheimer in the biographical epic Oppenheimer (2023). By the year 2023, Murphy has already worked with Nolan for around 20 years and six films. He also gained prominence for his role as Tommy Shelby in the BBC period drama series Peaky Blinders (2013–2022) and for starring in the horror sequel A Quiet Place Part II (2020). In 2011, Murphy won the Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Actor and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance for the one-man play Misterman. In 2020, The Irish Times named him one of the greatest Irish film actors.

Cillian Murphy Movies & Career Overview

The filmography of Cillian Murphy reflects exceptional commercial consistency. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.

Dominant Genre

A large portion of Cillian Murphy's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.

Success Ratio

Approximately 74% of Cillian Murphy's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.

One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains The Irish Revolution, which stands out as a key performance.

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Best Cillian Murphy Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Cillian Murphy's career based on audience ratings.

Full Filmography

Every movie Cillian Murphy has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
2026 Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Tommy Shelby Hit Similar →
2026 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Jim (uncredited) Hit Similar →
2025 Steve Steve Average Similar →
2024 Small Things Like These Bill Furlong Hit Similar →
2024 Kensuke's Kingdom Dad (voice) Hit Similar →
2023 Oppenheimer J. Robert Oppenheimer Super Hit Similar →
2023 Inside Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Self - J. Robert Oppenheimer Hit Similar →
2021 All of This Unreal Time Man Super Hit Similar →
2021 A Quiet Place Part II Emmett Hit Similar →
2019 I'm the Man Narrator Hit Similar →
2019 Anna Lenny Miller Hit Similar →
2019 The Irish Revolution Self - Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2018 The Overcoat Akaky (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2018 The Delinquent Season Jim Average Similar →
2017 The Party Tom Average Similar →
2017 Dunkirk Shivering Soldier Super Hit Similar →
2017 Free Fire Chris Average Similar →
2016 Anthropoid Josef Gabčík Hit Similar →
2016 Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach Self - Actor Hit Similar →
2015 In the Heart of the Sea Matthew Joy Hit Similar →
2015 Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth Himself - Narrator Hit Similar →
2014 Transcendence Agent Donald Buchanan Average Similar →
2012 Broken Mike Kiernan Hit Similar →
2012 The Dark Knight Rises Dr. Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow Super Hit Similar →
2012 Red Lights Tom Buckley Average Similar →
2011 In Time Raymond Leon Hit Similar →
2010 TRON: Legacy Edward Dillinger (uncredited) Hit Similar →
2010 Inception Robert Fischer, Jr. Super Hit Similar →
2010 Peacock John Skillpa / Emma Skillpa Average Similar →
2008 The Dark Knight Scarecrow Super Hit Similar →
2008 The Edge of Love William Killick Average Similar →
2007 Watching the Detectives Neil Average Similar →
2007 Sunshine Capa Hit Similar →
2006 The Wind That Shakes the Barley Damien Hit Similar →
2005 Breakfast on Pluto Patrick 'Kitten' Braden Hit Similar →
2005 Red Eye Jackson Rippner Average Similar →
2005 Batman Begins Dr. Jonathan Crane Super Hit Similar →
2003 Cold Mountain Bardolph Hit Similar →
2003 Girl with a Pearl Earring Pieter Hit Similar →
2003 Intermission John Average Similar →
2002 28 Days Later Jim Hit Similar →
2001 On the Edge Jonathan Breech Hit Similar →
2001 Watchmen Phil Hit Similar →
2000 Filleann an Feall Ger Super Hit Similar →
2000 A Man of Few Words Best Man Super Hit Similar →
1999 Sunburn Davin McDerby Average Similar →
1999 At Death's Door Young Reaper Hit Similar →
1999 Sweety Barrett Pat the Barman Average Similar →
1997 Quando Pat Super Hit Similar →
N/A Peaky Blinders: A Peek Behind the Curtain Thomas Shelby / Tommy / Himself Super Hit Similar →

Cillian Murphy - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Cillian Murphy?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Cillian Murphy is "The Irish Revolution" with a rating of 9.0/10.

How many movies has Cillian Murphy acted in?

Cillian Murphy has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Cillian Murphy?

Other notable films include "Quando", "The Dark Knight", and "Inception".

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