Watch: Cillian Murphy wins Best Actor award at Golden Globes for role in 'Oppenheimer' 

Cillian Murphy won his first Golden Globe at the ceremony in Beverly Hills on Sunday night, while Irish-produced film 'Poor Things' also took some major awards

Cillian Murphy poses in the press room with the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. Picture: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Cillian Murphy won the first major international award of his career on Sunday night when he was presented with the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for his role in Oppenheimer.

The Cork actor was selected ahead of his fellow Irish nominees Barry Keoghan and Andrew Scott, and co-favourite Bradley Cooper, and was visibly delighted when to took to the stage at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.

In a typically self-deprecating speech, Murphy paid tribute to Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan and his fellow cast-members and crew.

"To all my fellow nominees, whether you're Irish or not, you're all legends," he added, and also thanked his family.

 Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr with the Golden Globes they won for Oppenheimer. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Despite an impressive career, the 47-year-old Ballintemple man had only one previous Globe nomination — for Breakfast on Pluto in 2006 — and the award likely makes him the favourite for an equivalent Oscar in March.

It was a huge night for Oppenheimer which also won the Best Film – Drama category, while Robert Downey Jr got Best Supporting Actor, and Nolan received the Best Director award.

Elsewhere, Poor Things edged out Barbie for the Best Film – Musical or Comedy, and its star Emma Stone won the Globe for Best Actress – Musical or Comedy. The surreal tale, which opens in this country on Friday, has strong Irish connections via its producers, Dublin-based Element Pictures, and cinematographer Robbie Ryan.

 Poor Things director Yorgos Lanthimos, and stars Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo and Ramy Youssef during the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Robyn BECK / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

In the TV awards, The Bear won several major categories, including Best TV Series – Musical or Comedy, while Succession won Best TV Series – Drama.

Success for Succession: Matthew Macfayden poses with the Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role on Television for Succession, Sarah Snook with the award for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series - Drama; and Kieran Culkin with the award for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series - Drama in the press room during the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton hotel. (Photo by Robyn BECK / AFP)

It was also a big night for the Golden Globes themselves, which had been reeling since an investigation by the Los Angeles Times in 2021 shredded the credibility of the approximately 100-strong voting body, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, revealing major issues with diversity and voting practices.

 Recent reforms have seen voting switch to 300 entertainment journalists from around the world, and Sunday’s awards were seen as a first major test for the Globes.

Whether the Golden Globes succeeded in dealing with their various issues will be debated in the coming days, but in Ireland at least they’ll get a thumbs-up for crowning a Corkman named Murphy.

Golden Globes winners in full

Best Motion Picture – Drama – Oppenheimer

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy – Poor Things

Best Motion Picture – Animated – The Boy and the Heron

Cinematic and Box Office Achievement – Barbie

Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language – Anatomy of a Fall

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama – Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama – Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy – Emma Stone, Poor Things

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy – Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture – Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture – Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

Best Director — Motion Picture – Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture - Anatomy of a Fall

Best Original Song – Motion Picture – 'What Was I Made For?' from Barbie, by Billie Eilish O’Connell, Finneas O’Connell

Best Original Score – Oppenheimer

Best Television Series – Drama - Succession

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy – The Bear

Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television – Beef

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Drama – Sarah Snook, Succession

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Drama – Kieran Culkin, Succession

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy – Ayo Edebiri, The Bear

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy – Jeremy Allen White, The Bear

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television – Ali Wong, Beef

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television – Steven Yeun, Beef

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role on Television - Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role on Television – Matthew Macfadyen, Succession

Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television – Ricky Gervais, Ricky Gervais: Armageddon