Cillian Murphy surprised by his first Oscar nod for ‘Oppenheimer’: ‘It’s very, very humbling’

Oscar 2024 nominations were unveiled on January 23, with Christopher Nolan's ‘Oppenheimer’ leading the pack with 13 nods, including Best Actor for Cillian Murphy.

In an interview with The New York Times, Murphy expressed his surprise at his first Oscar nomination for his portrayal of the title character in the epic biographical thriller, stating, ‘It’s very, very humbling. I’m kind of a little in shock. It’s just a real honour to be involved in a film that has connected so powerfully with people in a way that we never expected.’

‘Oppenheimer’ released alongside Margot Robbie starrer ‘Barbie’ on July 21, 2023. The movie was praised by critics and fans alike, grossing over $900 million at the worldwide box office.

Cillian Murphy's role in ‘Oppenheimer’
In Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy plays the American theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb. He has been winning praise for his performance in the film. At the recent Golden Globes, he won the Best Actor in a Drama.

In The New York Times interview, Cillian Murphy revealed if he was watching Oscars announcement. He said, ‘No, I was at home in Cork with my mom and dad and my wife. And my phone started popping, so I figured it was good news. Everybody started texting. You know, you can’t really avoid good news or bad news, but it’s better when it’s good news. Oppenheimer is a different role than what you’ve done in the past. What drew you to this character?’

Besides Cillian Murphy, Bradley Cooper has been nominated for ‘Maestro’ in the Best Actor in a Leading Role category, Colman Domingo for ‘Rustin’, Paul Giamatti for ‘The Holdovers’, and Jeffrey Wright for ‘American Fiction’.

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