Cillian Murphy

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Cillian Murphy : biography

25 May 1976 –

Personal life

In mid-2004, Murphy married his long-time live-in girlfriend, Yvonne McGuinness, an artist whom he met in 1996 at one of his rock band’s shows.McLean, Craig. "A Close Shave", Telegraph Magazine, 24 December 2005. The couple live in North West London with their two sons, Malachy (born in 2005) and Carrick (born in 2007).Maher, Kevin. , The Times, 19 March 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2010. Murphy is known for being reluctant to speak about his personal life. He frequently gives interviews about his work but did not appear on any live TV chat shows until 2010, when he was a guest on The Late Late Show on Ireland’s RTÉ to promote Perrier’s Bounty yet still remained politely reserved., 19 March 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2010. He does not have a stylist or a personal publicist, travels without an entourage,Wolf, Matt. , Strut, March 2004. Retrieved 18 July 2007. and often attends premieres alone. Shy and private, Murphy professes a lack of interest in the celebrity scene, finding the red carpet experience "a challenge… and not one I want to overcome". He intentionally practices a lifestyle that will not interest the tabloids: "I haven’t created any controversy, I don’t sleep around, I don’t go and fall down drunk". Murphy is friends with fellow Irish actors Colin FarrellDidcock, Barry. , The Sunday Herald, 12 June 2005. Archived on FindArticles.com. Retrieved 21 July 2007. and Liam Neeson, looking up to the latter like a "surrogate movie dad."Halper, Jenny. , Cinema Confidential, 15 November 2005. Retrieved 20 July 2007. But primarily, Murphy’s close friendships are those he made before becoming a star.Cashin, Declan. , Irish Independent, 6 April 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2012.

Music is still an important part of Murphy’s life. In 2004, he said, "The only extravagant thing about my lifestyle is my stereo system, buying music and going to gigs". He no longer plays in a rock band, but regularly plays music with friends and on his own, and still writes songs. Murphy does not plan to start another band: "Even if I was good, the very notion of being an actor with a rock band on the side would mean I’d never be taken seriously". Murphy is also a dedicated runner.Odell, Michael. "The Cult of Cillian", Elle UK, March 2007.

Murphy, previously an agnostic, became an atheist after researching his role as a nuclear physicist/astronaut in the science fiction film Sunshine.Fulton, Rick. , The Daily Record, 30 March 2007. Retrieved 18 July 2007.

He is a longtime vegetarian, not due to any moral objection to the killing of animals, but because of qualms about unhealthy agribusiness practices.Wallick, Lee. "A, B, Cillian–Z", Wonderland, April/May 2007. Murphy participated in the 2007 Rock the Vote Ireland campaign targeting young voters for the general election. He has also campaigned for the rights of the homeless with the organisation Focus Ireland.Cunningham, Grainne. "Plea From Playboy Star Puts Problems of Young Homeless People Into the Spotlight", Irish Independent, 24 February 2004.

In February 2012, Murphy wrote a message of support to the former Vita Cortex workers involved in a sit-in at their plant, congratulating them for "highlighting [what] is hugely important to us all as a nation".

Theatre

Year Title Role Venue / Notes
1996 Disco Pigs Darren/"Pig" Corcadorca Theatre Company
1998 Much Ado About Nothing Claudio Bickerstaffe Theatre Company
1999 The Country Boy Curly Druid Theatre Company
1999 Juno and the Paycock Johnny Boyle Druid Theatre Company
2002 The Shape of Things Adam Gate Theatre
2003 The Seagull Konstantine Edinburgh International Festival, EdinburghGuide.com. Retrieved 25 June 2007.
2004 The Playboy of the Western World Christy Mahon Druid Theatre Company, DruidTheatre.com. Retrieved 25 June 2007.
2006 Love Song Beane New Ambassadors Theatre
2010 From Galway to Broadway and back again. Christy Mahon Druid Theatre CompanySiggins, Lorna. , The Irish Times, 24 May 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
2011 Misterman Thomas Magill Landmark Productions and Galway Arts Festival 2011Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Actor, irishcentral.com, 29 February 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2012.Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show, cultureireland.ie, 7 June 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.