IFTA Awards: Cillian Murphy wins Lead Actor gong for role that 'closed a circle'

Fri, 14 Feb, 2025 - 21:59

Aoife Barry

Making the film Small Things Like These was like the “closing of a circle” on his acting journey since his breakout role in Disco Pigs, Cork actor Cillian Murphy said after winning the Lead Actor gong for films at the Irish Film and Television Academy awards.

When asked if the role - where he starred opposite fellow Corkonian and Disco Pigs co-star Eileen Walsh made him reflect on his career, the Douglas native told the Irish Examiner: “Myself and Eileen have stayed really close friends, our kids are really good friends, and she’s moved back to Dublin now. And [the film] was like the closing of a circle… I’m such a huge admirer of her as an artist and as an actor, so it was like the universe was telling us to work together again.”

Small Things Like These also won the overall Best Film IFTA.

On adapting the Claire Keegan novel, which is about a Magdalene laundry in a small town, Murphy said: “I think it’s amazing the book has been taken to heart in the country, and then we just felt a great responsibility to be faithful to the book.

"And there are people walking around who have this as a real lived experience, it has affected so many people across the country. So we felt a great deal of responsibility making it.”

Members of Kneecap, Mo Chara, JJ O'Dochartaigh and Moglai Bap attending the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) Awards Ceremony at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture date: Friday February 14, 2025.

The big winners at the IFTAs, which was hosted by comedian Kevin McGahern, were Kneecap with four awards, including Best Director - Film and Editing, and the drama Say Nothing, set in The Troubles of Northern Ireland, which also scooped four awards.

Director of Kneecap, Rich Peppiatt, announced on stage while collecting the Best Director Award that he had received his Irish citizenship on Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Bad Sisters scooped three awards including Best Drama.

In the acting categories, Saoirse Ronan was a double winner with Lead Actress - Film for The Outrun and Supporting Actress - Film for Blitz.

Saoirse Ronan was a big winner, taking home two awards for Actress in a Lead Role and Actress in a Supporting Role for her roles in The Outrun and Blitz, respectively. Picture Andres Poveda

Meanwhile, winners in the Drama categories were Colin Farrell for The Penguin and Lola Petticrew for Say Nothing.

Demi Moore won Best International Actress for her role in The Substance, though she didn’t attend the awards.

Veteran actor Colm Meaney received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his long career, while Say Nothing star Anthony Boyle was named the Screen Ireland IFTA Rising Star.

Saoirse Ronan took fellow nominee Alisha Weir on stage as she accepted her award for the “life-changing” film, The Outrun, saying she was “so, so proud” of the young Abigail actress.

Ronan said she made The Outrun with “the love of my life”, referencing partner Jack Lowden, and that it “made me even more aware of the pain that so many young people are going through behind closed doors”.

She encouraged people to support the ISPCC.

Andrew Scott attending the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) Awards Ceremony at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Picture date: Friday February 14, 2025.

Asked if she would ever film an Irish language film with TG4, Ronan said backstage: “To my shame I speak hardly any Irish… if the right project came along, I would love to, definitely.”

While most of the acceptance speeches were of a personal bent, Lola Petticrew called out “gutless politicians” and said that the North is crying out for investment in social housing, education, youth services and mental health services.

Both Petticrew and her co-star Hazel Doupe were wearing Artists for Palestine badges.

“They’re in solidarity with the people of Palestine - free Palestine,” Petticrew told the Irish Examiner.

Áine Moriarty, founder and chief executive of the IFTAs, described the event on the night as “a big Irish gathering - every year we see it growing and growing.”

Among those present at the star-packed ceremony in the Dublin Royal Convention Centre were Andrew Scott, Young Offenders star Chris Walley, Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan, and Bad Sisters star and Cork native Sarah Greene.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Colm Meaney

SCREEN IRELAND - IFTA RISING STAR: Anthony Boyle

FILM CATEGORIES  

BEST FILM: Small Things Like These

DIRECTOR: Rich Peppiatt for Kneecap

SCRIPT: Enda Walsh for Small Things Like These

LEAD ACTOR: Cillian Murphy for Small Things Like These

LEAD ACTRESS: Saoirse Ronan for The Outrun

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Brían F. O'Byrne for Conclave

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Saoirse Ronan for Blitz

DRAMA CATEGORIES