How many Oscar awards does Cillian Murphy have and how many times has he been nominated for an Academy Award?

For many, Cillian Murphy (1976) is the actor of a generation. Son of two teachers, he is considered one of the greatest Irish actors of all time. And it’s not without reason. This 2024, he won his first ever Oscar for Best Actor for his role as Robert Oppenheimer in Nolan’s eponymous film.

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Cillian Murphy’s origins

His first steps began in the world of music. He founded the band ‘The Sons of Mr. Green Genes’ with his brother. Despite some success and even offers from record labels, he abandoned his musical career due to the limited financial return they could get. After studying Law, he began to show interest in theater. His first performance came at the age of 20, in the play ‘Disco Pigs’.

Gradually, he carved out a niche on the small screen and in low-budget films until his first big opportunity came with ‘28 Days Later’ in 2002. After that debut, roles followed, and he began his collaboration with Nolan in films such as ‘Inception’, ‘Dunkirk’, or the Batman trilogy where he portrayed Scarecrow.

His standout role on the small screen has been as Tommy Shelby in the series ‘Peaky Blinders’, from 2013 to 2022. He has been married since 2004 to the artist Yvonne McGuinness, with whom he has two children.

Awards for Cillian Murphy

Murphy was nominated for an Oscar for the first time in his career this year, which means he is one for one following his Best Actor victory. Among other major awards, this year he also won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama for ‘Oppenheimer’.

He was also nominated for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical in 2006, for ‘Breakfast in Pluto’.

He swept the BAFTAs this 2023, while last year he was nominated for his role as Tommy Shelby in ‘Peaky Blinders’. He also won the SAG for his role as Robert Oppenheimer, while earning a nomination for Best Actor at the Critics’ Choice Awards.