'Oh boy, holy moly': Cillian Murphy wins best actor at Baftas for Oppenheimer
Cillian Murphy attends the Baftas in London.
Cork actor Cillian Murphy has received yet another major award for his role in Oppenheimer.
Murphy received the best actor award at the Baftas in London, having faced competition in the category from Dublin actor Barry Keoghan for his role as Oliver Quick in Saltburn, as well as Bradley Cooper for Maestro, Colman Domingo for Rustin, Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers and Two Yoo for Past Lives.
In Oppenheimer, Murphy plays J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb. He has been nominated for his first Oscar and has already won a Golden Globe Award for the role.
Accepting his Bafta, Murphy paid tribute to Christopher Nolan for being the "most dynamic" director and described his character as "one man's monster, another man's hero".
Accepting the trophy he said: “Oh boy, holy moly, thank you very, very much Bafta.”
He paid tribute to “the most dynamic, kindest producer-director partnership in Hollywood: Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas, thank you for seeing something in me that I probably didn’t see in myself.”
The actor said to Nolan: “Thank for always pushing me and demanding excellence because that is what you deliver time and time again.”
He also acknowledged his “fellow nominees and my Oppenhomies”, adding: “I know it’s a cliche to say, but I’m in awe of you.”
He said J Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb, was a “colossally knotty character”, adding: “We have a space to debate and interrogate and investigate that complexity and it’s a privilege to be a part of this community with you all.”
Speaking in the winners' press conference, Murphy told reporters he was overwhelmed by the win.
“I don't think it's probably sunk in yet for any of us. It's mind-blowing. I'm thrilled and a little bit shocked at the moment, I suppose.”
He said he was proud to represent Ireland in the acting industry.
“I’m a really proud Irishman. I have to say that of course. And it means it means a lot to me to be Irish. I don't know what else to say, should I sing a rebel song?”
Murphy's co-stars Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr were also nominated for supporting prizes, which Downey Jr won, while Nolan won his first Bafta for best director and the drama was named best film too. In total, Oppenheimer won seven Baftas.
Elsewhere, Yorgos Lanthimos’s offbeat film Poor Things is produced by Dublin-based Element Pictures. Its nominations included a cinematography nod for Irish cinematographer Robbie Ryan, though Oppenheimer won in that category.
Oppenheimer and Poor Things were both nominated for the best film prize. Notably absent from the category is Barbie, which was the highest-grossing film of 2023, with director Greta Gerwig also absent from the directing category. Margot Robbie was nominated for best actress for her role in Barbie, but lost out to Emma Stone for Poor Things.
Paul Mescal was nominated for best supporting actor for All Of Us Strangers, and his co-star Andrew Scott, who was snubbed in the best actor category, was on hand to present an award with Mescal for best animated film during the ceremony.
Mescal missed out on the supporting actor award, which was given to Robert Downey Jr for Oppenheimer, while the best supporting actress nod went to Da'Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers.
Downey Jr set a new record for the longest gap between wins by any performer. His award for Oppenheimer comes 31 years after his previous Bafta, for the 1993 film Chaplin.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor performed during the ceremony, as her 2001 song, Murder on the Dancefloor, returned to the charts after being featured in Saltburn.
On the red carpet, the singer said Barry Keoghan recreating his naked dance to the tune “maybe a bit much” for the Bafta ceremony.
When asked about Keoghan re-doing it, Ellis-Bextor told the PA news agency: “It might be a bit much for him first thing but we have had a moment together already…
“I was lucky enough to meet all the Saltburn cast back in November in LA at the premiere, so it’d be nice to see them again because I think what they’ve achieved with the film is wonderful so I just want to toast that.”
Hannah Waddingham also performed a pared-down version of Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time in the in memoriam segment of the Baftas, which featured tributes to stars including Michael Gambon.
