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Cillian Murphy wins Oscar for Best Actor

Cillian Murphy wins Oscar for Best Actor

Murphy was by far the frontrunner for his role as J Robert Oppenheimer.

Cillian Murphy has won the Oscar for Best Actor for his incredible performance in Oppenheimer.

For this year's Best Actor nominees, there was Bradley Cooper (Maestro) Colman Domingo (Rustin), Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers), Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) and Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction).

But we got an indication of who would win, as Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer has had 13 Oscar award nominations to its name, mainly Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor.

The Peaky Blinders star took centre stage as he played the role of theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in devising the world's first atomic bomb during WWII.

The three-hour film was the director's first ever biographical drama, featuring the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon and Emily Blunt.

Universal Pictures

Downey Jr. also landed his first ever Oscar after picking up Best Supporting Actor.

His performance in Oppenheimer, as the antagonistic politician who ultimately comes to feud with the scientist, was hailed by many as a career high.

Of working with him, Murphy said: "A lot of the scenes I have with Downey, it was quite loose and quite improvisational. I mean, acting with him was just extraordinary.

"He's just electrifying, the most available engaged, present, unpredictably brilliant actor I've ever worked with."

As the 96th Academy Awards kicked off this evening (10 March), late night presenter Jimmy Kimmel returned to host the famous event.

In his opening monologue, the comedian did not hold back as he joked about Nolan having a porn addiction, Downey Jr’s 'rectangular-shaped' manhood and AI.

"This is the highest point in Robert Downey Jr's long and illustrious career," he also jibed, alluding to the actor's previous drug addiction.

The actor appeared to go along with the joke.
ABC

"Someone tell Jimmy Kimmel that Robert Downey Jr drug jokes are no longer funny (not that they ever really were tbh).. RDJ looks so uncomfortable," one penned on social media.

"Jimmy Kimmel lost my interest when he starting making drug jokes about Robert Downey Jr.... and then he starting making jokes about Bradley Cooper dating his mom.....this Oscars Opening Monologue is a hard no for me," another went on.

Kimmel also took a dig at the Academy for not nominating Barbie director Greta Gerwig.

ABC

"I know you’re clapping, but you’re the ones who didn’t vote for her," he said.

“Ryan and Margot, I want you to know that even if neither one of you wins an Oscar tonight, you both already won something much more important.

“The genetic lottery.”

Despite getting some laughs from the crowd, people have complained that his speech was 'too long'.

"Jimmy Kimmel Full Oscar Speech (3hrs 23mins)," one person tweeted.

"How long is Jimmy Kimmel's speech going to be can he wrap this up now," a second said.

"Jimmy Kimmel can be done any time now. He is going way too long, and he's trying to be so over the top. I just don't know," a third added.

Featured Image Credit: DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images

Topics: Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer, Oscars, TV and Film