Cillian Murphy Net Worth

Cillian Murphy’s net worth as of 2024 is $20 million. Murphy is a prominent Irish film and theatre actor who has been making waves in the entertainment media industry, especially the movie industry. Known for his role as Thomas Shelby in the British TV show Peaky Blinders, he made his professional debut in Enda Walsh’s 1996 play “Disco Pigs.”

Since his debut, Murphy has appeared in several big-budget blockbuster films, including Inception, 28 Days Later, Dunkirk, Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight. Journey with us as we explore the life of Cillian Murphy, diving into his financial background, early life, rise to fame, and more.

Who is Cillian Murphy?

Cillian Murphy is a 48-year-old famous Irish film and theatre actor who made her professional debut in Enda Walsh’s 1996 play “Disco Pigs.” Since his debut, he has made appearances in a wide range of roles, including Jackson Rippner in “Red Eye,” Kitten/Patricia in “Breakfast on Pluto,” and the Scarecrow in “Batman Begins.” Murphy’s breakthrough came with his role as Thomas Shelby in the BBC and Netflix series “Peaky Blinders.” His portrayal in the series, praised for its sophisticated graphics, nuanced dialogue, and complex characters, has won him praise from critics.

Murphy frequently collaborates with director Christopher Nolan and has appeared in three of his films, including “28 Days Later,” “Inception,” and “Dunkirk.” Thanks to his work with Director Nolan, Murphy has established himself as one of the most respected actors working today. In 2023, he received wide criticism and praise from the audience for his role as Robert Oppenheimer in Nolan’s film “Oppenheimer.” Murphy received numerous awards as a theatre actor, including the 2002 Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Actor for his performance in “The Pillowman.”

Cillian’s Early Life and Education

Under the Gemini zodiac sign, Cillian Murphy was born on May 25, 1976, at a private hospital in Douglas, Cork, Ireland. He holds English nationality, is of Irish ethnicity, and a Catholic. Not much is known about her mother, but her father is known to be Brendan. His mother was a teacher who taught French, while his father worked for the Irish Department of Education. Murphy was raised in Ballintemple, Cork, alongside his younger brother Páidi and two younger sisters, Sile and Orla. He began writing and performing songs at the age of 10.

Raised Catholic, Murphy attended a Catholic secondary school, Presentation Brothers College, where he excelled academically but often got into trouble. Murphy got his first taste of performing when he participated in a play, and his English teacher (novelist William Wall) encouraged him to pursue acting. However, in his early 20s, he pursued music, singing and playing guitar with his brother Páidi. Influenced by the Beatles and Frank Zappa, they changed their band name to The Sons of Mr. Greengenes.

During their music career, Murphy and his brother rejected a five-album record deal from Acid Jazz Records because his brother was still in school. Murphy later revealed that, in retrospect, he was glad they hadn’t. In 1996, he enrolled at University College Cork to study law but failed his first-year exams, preferring to focus on playing with his band instead. While at UCC, he participated in two plays, “Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme” and “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Cillianhy’s Career

Theatre Work

Although Cillian Murphy started his career as a musician, he later rose to fame as an actor and landed an audition at the Corcadorca Theatre Company in September 1996. He made his professional stage acting debut in the play “Disco Pigs” later that year. Originally, Dico Pig was intended to only run for three weeks but ended up touring throughout Europe, Canada, and Australia for two years. With that, Murphy dropped out of university and left his band.

Murphy wanted to return to playing music but secured a talent agent instead, and his acting career took center stage. He appeared in several other theatre productions, including Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing (1998), The Country Boy, and Juno and the Paycock (both 1999).  Murphy began appearing in independent films like On the Edge (2001) and in short films, including Filleann an Feall (2000) and Watchmen (2001). He also reprised his role in the film adaptation of Disco Pigs (2001) and appeared in the BBC TV mini-series adaptation of The Way We Live Now. During this period, he relocated to Dublin for a few years and then settled in London in 2001.

28 Days Later and Breakthrough

Cillian gained international recognition for his breakthrough performance as Jim in Danny Boyle’s post-apocalyptic film “28 Days Later” (2002). “28 Days Later” propelled Murphy to global success and became a sleeper hit in North America, gaining him a new following. He was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Empire Awards and Breakthrough Male Performance at the MTV Movie Awards for his performance. The dark comedy Intermission (2003), the thriller Red Eye (2005), the Irish war drama The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006), and the science fiction thriller Sunshine (2007) are just a few of the films he starred in. In the 2005 comedy-drama Breakfast on Pluto, he portrayed a transgender Irish woman, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe.

In addition to playing Scarecrow in The Dark Knight trilogy (2005–2012), Murphy started working with director Christopher Nolan in 2005. He also appeared in Dunkirk (2017) and Inception (2010). He also became well-known for his part as Tommy Shelby in the 2013–2022 BBC period drama series Peaky Blinders and for his performance in the 2020 horror sequel A Quiet Place Part II. Cillian was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe for his performance as the lead in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (2023). In 2011, Murphy received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance for his role in the one-man play Misterman. In 2020, The Irish Times named him one of the greatest Irish film actors of all time.

Cillian’s Net Worth and Salary

What is Cillian Murphy’s net worth? Cillian Murphy has accumulated massive success from his acting career, spanning film and television. As of this writing, Murphy has an impressive net worth of $20 million, which he has amassed over the years from his work on several big-budget blockbuster films. According to our sources, Cillian earned a huge salary for his role in numerous movies. For his appearance in the BAFTA Award-winning television series Peaky Blinders, Murphy was paid $100,000 per episode. In the show, the character of Thomas Shelby, which he played, spans 36 episodes. In total, Murphy obtained a whopping $3.6 million.

Murphy played the lead role in Oppenheimer, which made waves at the box office in the summer of 2023. The film grossed $952 million worldwide. For his role as J. Robert Oppenheimer in the Christopher Nolan-directed film, Murphy enjoyed a $5 million salary. In addition, he received an Oscar Award nomination for Best Actor.

Personal Life

Cillian Murphy is married to his long-time girlfriend, Yvonne McGuinness. The two crossed paths in 19996, at one of his rock band’s shows. After years of dating, Murphy and Yvonne exchanged marriage vows in 2004 at a private ceremony. The couple lived in Dublin until 2001 when they relocated so Yvone could attend the Royal College of Art.

The couple later moved back to Dunlin after 14 years in London. Murphy and Yvone have two sons, Malachy Murphy (born on December 4, 2005) and Aran Murphy ( born in July 2007). Despite his widespread notoriety, Murphy has never adjusted to the celebrity lifestyle and always ensures his personal life stays hidden.

Activism

In the 2007 Rock the Vote Ireland scheme, Murphy advocated for the rights of people experiencing homelessness alongside Focus Ireland, focusing on young voters for the general election. 2011 saw him accept the title of patron of the National University of Ireland Galway’s UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre.

He is closely affiliated with the research of UNESCO Chair in Children, Youth, and Civic Engagement Professor Pat Dolan, Director of the UCFRC.On the Blindboy Podcast, Murphy advocated for men to stand by women and vote in favor of the 2018 Irish referendum to repeal the eighth amendment of the constitution, which limited access to abortions.

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