The hauntingly talented Irish actor, Cillian Murphy is currently all over the news following his appearance in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Previously, Murphy achieved global fame after his phenomenal performance in the BBC series Peaky Blinders. However, while the actor catapulted his career, his international fame is something that he never wished for.
Just like most other English actors, even Cillian Murphy desired to live a low-key life with minimal fame and appreciation from his fans. However, he was forced to make some changes by Peaky Blinders and adjust to his constantly rising popularity, as the show started witnessing a surge in viewership.
Cillian Murphy’s Rise To Fame With Peaky Blinders
While Cillian Murphy’s role as J. Robert Oppenheimer turned into the talk of Tinseltown, the actor rose to popularity with his role as Tommy Shelby in the BBC series Peaky Blinders. Previously appearing in acclaimed projects by Christopher Nolan, Murphy gradually stole the limelight when he took on the lead role in the drama series.
Although the actor initially had several issues with the series, unlike its fans; Peaky Blinders turned out to be a career-boosting opportunity for Murphy. Primarily, the Irish actor failed to understand the title of the show and even found the famous Tommy Shelby haircut quite alarming. Further, after exploring the storyline, the actor also had doubts about the show’s potential to attract a global audience.
However, eventually, with gradual progress, the BBC series turned into a globally acclaimed show. Thus, Peaky Blinders started gaining momentum and witnessed a surge in viewership. While this progress was a success for the showrunners and even for Cillian Murphy, the actor found it rather unsettling as he turned into an overnight international sensation.
Cillian Murphy Feels Overwhelmed With His Popularity
Cillian Murphy had always sought a down-to-earth life with minimal fame and reputation. Completely fine with his small roles in notable projects that were enough to sustain his family, the Irish actor loved working for creativity rather than fame. However, his life turned upside down when his popularity skyrocketed after Peaky Blinders.
Evidently, the BBC series had to force the actor to manage his fame and change his career plans, as he confessed to being overwhelmed by his surge in popularity. Appearing for an interview with GQ, Cillian Murphy confessed, “I never wanted to see my name over a title of a movie … None of that sh*t ever entered my thinking, ever”.
Nonetheless, after he achieved his fame from Peaky Blinders, the actor had to adjust to his growing popularity and make changes to his career trajectory. Thereafter, Murphy was no longer in a position to avoid leading roles or turn down opportunities to appear on the silver screen. Realizing how his role as Tommy Shelby changed his life, the actor took a dip into mainstream cinema and led Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
Peaky Blinders is available on Netflix for streaming.
Oppenheimer is currently running in theatres, worldwide.
Source: GQ
