Cillian Murphy praised for sending message using Irish language as he makes history at the Oscars
Oppenheimer ruled the 96th Academy Awards last night (10 March), taking home a staggering seven awards from 13 nominations.
This included Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr, Best Director for Christopher Nolan and Best Picture for the film itself.
And of course, Best Actor for the man who played J. Robert Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy.
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The 47-year-old portrayed the troubled but genius theoretical physicist that led the project to create the first atomic bomb, and was favourite to take the award home.
Beating out the likes of Bradley Cooper and Paul Giamatti, Cork-born Murphy also became the first Irishman to claim the accolade.
Making his way up to the stage, he shook the hands of previous winners of the award, such as Forest Whitaker, Brendan Fraser and Matthew McConaughey before taking to the mic for his speech.
Murphy said he felt 'a little overwhelmed' on stage, and admitted: "I'm a very proud Irish man standing here tonight."
"It's been the wildest, most exhilarating, most creatively satisfying journey you've taken me on over the last 20 years. I owe you more than I can say," he said to Nolan and Emma Thomas about creating Oppenheimer.
The Peaky Blinders star thanked his family in addition to the cast and crew of Oppenheimer, before going on to say: "We made a film about the man who created the atomic bomb.
"And for better or for worse, we're all living in Oppenheimer's world so I'd really like to dedicate this to the peacemakers, everywhere."
The actor signed off with some Cúpla Focal: "Go raibh míle maith agaibh."
Cúpla Focal, when translated, basically means 'a few words', and it was a proud nod to his Irish nationality and heritage.
According to Machnamh.com, 'Go raibh mile maith agat' is Irish for 'a thousand thank yous'.
Speaking backstage, the actor continued his words of gratitude, explaining: “It’s really, really meaningful to me and I don't know if I said this in my speech because I can't remember what I said, but I do want to say that I think in Ireland, we're really great at supporting artists."
He also urged that the country needs to support the next generation of actors and directors coming through.
Users were quick to praise his speech and the Irish message at the end of it, posting their opinions on X, formerly Twitter.
One commented: "His acceptance speech was amazing. Especially that last part will go down in movie history as one of the best speeches ever given."
Another said: "Perfect shot for this LEGEND!"
A third put: "That’s how to do a speech. Be more like Cillian."
The Oscars Best Actor award rounds off a huge sweep for the Irish actor, who also picked up a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and a Screen Actors Guild Award, among other accolades.
Oscars 2024 Winners
Best director
Anatomy of a Fall - Justine Triet
Killers of the Flower Moon - Martin Scorsese
Oppenheimer - Christopher Nolan - WINNER
Poor Things - Yorgos Lanthimos
The Zone of Interest - Jonathan Glazer
Best actor
Bradley Cooper - Maestro
Colman Domingo - Rustin
Paul Giamatti - The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer - WINNER
Jeffrey Wright - American Fiction
Best actress
Annette Bening - Nyad
Lily Gladstone - Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Huller - Anatomy of a Fall
Carey Mulligan - Maestro
Emma Stone - Poor Things - WINNER
Best picture
American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall
Barbie
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer - WINNER
Past Lives
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest
Best supporting actress
Emily Blunt - Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks - The Color Purple
America Ferrera - Barbie
Jodie Foster - Nyad
Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers - WINNER
Best animated short
Letter to a Pig
Ninety-Five Senses
Our Uniform
Pachyderme
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko - WINNER
Best animated feature
The Boy and the Heron - WINNER
Elemental
Nimona
Robot Dreams
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Best original screenplay
Anatomy of a Fall - WINNER
The Holdovers
Maestro
May December
Past Lives
Best adapted screenplay
American Fiction - WINNER
Barbie
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest
Best make-up and hairstyling
Golda
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things - WINNER
Society of the Snow
Best production design
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things - WINNER
Best costume design
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things - WINNER
Best international feature
Io Capitano
Perfect Days
Society of the Snow
The Teachers' Lounge
The Zone of Interest - WINNER
Best supporting actor
Sterling K Brown - American Fiction
Robert De Niro - Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr - Oppenheimer - WINNER
Ryan Gosling - Barbie
Mark Ruffalo - Poor Things
Best visual effects
The Creator
Godzilla Minus One - WINNER
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon
Best film editing
Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer - WINNER
Poor Things
Best documentary short
The ABCs of Book Banning
The Barber of Little Rock
Island In Between
The Last Repair Shop - WINNER
Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó
Best documentary feature
Bobi Wine: The People's President
The Eternal Memory
Four Daughters
To Kill a Tiger
20 Days in Mariupol - WINNER
Best live action short
The After
Invincible
Knight of Fortune
Red, White and Blue
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - WINNER
Best cinematography
El Conde
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer - WINNER
Poor Things
Best sound
The Creator
Maestro
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer - WINNER
The Zone of Interest
Best original score
American Fiction
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer - WINNER
Poor Things
Best original song
'The Fire Inside' - Flamin' Hot (Diane Warren)
'I'm Just Ken' - Barbie (Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt)
'It Never Went Away' - American Symphony (Jon Batiste, Dan Wilson)
'Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)' - Killers of the Flower Moon (Scott George)
'What Was I Made For?' - Barbie (Billie Eilish, Finneas O'Connell) - WINNER
Topics: Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer, Oscars, TV and Film, Celebrity, Ireland
Joshua Nair