Robert Downey Jr. reunited with his Oppenheimer co-star Cillian Murphy at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. During the event, Downey Jr. had the honor of presenting Murphy with the Desert Palm Achievement Award for his role as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s biopic, Oppenheimer. Fans were thrilled to witness the reunion of their favorite stars, and interestingly, some discussions even extended to the height difference between the two actors.
Nolan’s film recently made its Blu-ray debut following a massively successful run at the box office. With a worldwide collection of $954 million, the film is expected to see a further increase in its numbers after its Japanese release in 2024. It also became the highest-grossing biopic of all time.
Is Robert Downey Jr. Taller Than Oppenheimer Co-Star Cillian Murphy?
Robert Downey Jr. shared a short clip of the photo session with his Oppenheimer co-star Cillian Murphy at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on his Instagram. The video sent fans into a frenzy, with many expressing joy at seeing Christopher Nolan‘s film and its stars getting the deserved recognition. Interestingly, one fan observed that the Iron Man star and the Peaky Blinders actor are almost the same height.
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The fan noted that they had always assumed “Thomas Shelby would tower over Iron Man”, but this was not the case. Many echoed similar opinions, sharing surprise as they had thought Murphy was much taller. However, according to IMDb, the Batman Begins actor is listed at a height of 5′ 7¾″ (1.72 m). Several other sources concur, while some also suggest a close approximation of 5′ 7″ (1.7 m).
Cillian Murphy is slightly shorter than Downey Jr., who is 5′ 8″ (1.73 m), according to IMDb. Some fans in the comments section playfully accused the Sherlock Holmes actor of wearing lifts. Both Murphy and Downey Jr. fall a few inches short of the average height for an American male (5′ 9″). Murphy, being Irish, also falls below the average height for an Irish male (5′ 9 1⁄2″).
Another fan humorously commented that Hollywood really had fooled them, as they always believed Murphy was at least 6′ 2″. However, it’s likely that this perception is more a result of the Red Eye actor’s commanding presence rather than any intentional deception.
Both Robert Downey Jr. And Cillian Murphy Shower Praise On Each Other
When asked to present the Desert Palm Achievement Award to Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. delivered a short tribute speech dedicated to Murphy. In his speech, Downey Jr. shared that the Transcendence actor was an anomaly and an actor’s actor. He added that Murphy had no haters, which was not an easy achievement in Hollywood. Commending Murphy’s film work, the Kiss Kiss Bang Bang actor shared (via The Hollywood Reporter):
“He is an anomaly. He’s been an actor’s actor for over 20 years and nobody dislikes this guy. That’s not easy. His character work and his onscreen intensity never fail. Captain captivating, it’s f**king titillating.”
In return, Murphy also had warm words of praise for Downey Jr. The Dark Knight actor described The Avengers actor as an actor of “staggering capability”. He also highlighted that Downey Jr. was “one of the kindest, most compassionate, generous, funniest humans”, he had the pleasure of working with.
Oppenheimer is now available for rent on AppleTV+.
