Cillian Murphy is everything an exceptional person can be: a talented actor, a dedicated family man, and a philanthropist, but one thing he could not be, according to Oppenheimer co-star Matt Damon, is a great dinner companion.
It’s no secret that the Peaky Blinders actor devoted so much time and energy preparing for his role as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb. From learning to speak Dutch to shrinking his body frame to capture the character’s physicality, there was no room for happy hour.
Cillian Murphy Defends Himself for Turning Down Dinner Invites
During his interview via 60 Minutes, actor Cillian Murphy responded to the accusation of Matt Damon calling him the “worst dinner companion imaginable.” Scott Pelley, the host, said that the actor has little room in his head for anything else when he’s busy working on a movie.
“I’ve always been like that, I think. It’s because, to me, you have the time on set, which is a short enough time. You have 10 hours, maybe. And then the other part, if you’ve got a significant part, you’re having to keep your lines fresh. And then the other big thing for me is sleeping. I love sleeping, and I need sleep.”
Long hours on the set and rigorous shooting would definitely drain one’s social battery, which is why Murphy has little time for going out with friends. He wants to spend his free time resting, and when he’s fully recharged, he wants to go over his lines to study.
Murphy shared that he went to dinner with his co-star after they were done filming Oppenheimer. Perhaps the actor missed eating sumptuous food after he went on a strict diet of one almond or a slice of apple per night.
“I’ve had lots of lovely dinners with Matt Damon since the movie has finished, and we’ve been out promoting it and stuff. At the time, yeah, you just don’t have the room in your head, and you want as much sleep as possible.”
In the end, Murphy and the cast’s efforts paid off: Oppenheimer has been nominated for 13 Academy Awards, with the lead star vying for the Best Actor prize.
Cillian Murphy Loves Sleeping A Lot
In another interview with GQ, Cillian Murphy echoed his passion for sleeping. While many actors take pride in constantly grinding and pushing themselves to the limit, the Batman Begins star says, “I sleep a lot. I do 10-hour sleeps.”
It’s also exhausting to work in films, and as Murphy tells The Guardian, there is zero life.
“You go home to your tiny apartment at the end of the day, and you feed yourself for sustenance, and you learn the lines for the next day, and you try to get as much sleep as you possibly can. Which isn’t much. And then you get up and do it again.”
And that’s why sleep is a non-negotiable priority for Murphy; on days when he is not working, he gets as much rest as he can.
