Cillian Murphy Reacts To His First Oscar Nomination For Oppenheimer: ‘I’m Kind Of A Little In Shock’

Oscar 2024 nominations were announced on Tuesday. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer earned 13 nominations, the most for any film this year, including one for Cillian Murphy in the best actor category.

In an interview with The New York Times, the actor shared what his first Oscar nomination felt like. He has been nominated for his performance as the title character in Oppenheimer.

‘It’s just a real honour’

“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,” Cillian Murphy said.

After opening alongside Margot Robbie-starrer Barbie on July 21, 2023, Oppenheimer was praised by critics and fans alike, grossing over $900 million at the worldwide box office.

Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer role

In Oppenheimer, a biopic by director Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer plays the American theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb. Cillian has been winning praise for his performance in the film. At the recent Golden Globes, he won best actor in a drama.

In The New York Times interview, Cillian Murphy also revealed if he was watching Tuesday’s 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?”

Other best actor nominees

Alongside Cillian, 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 are also nominated for best actor Oscar.