Cillian Murphy wins his first Oscar, best actor for ‘Oppenheimer’ – Chicago Tribune

Cillian Murphy won his first Oscar for portraying the man who created the atomic bomb in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster biopic. “Oppenheimer.” The movie was crowned best photo and Nolan’s name was given best director.

A first-time nominee, Murphy won best actor for his superb performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer. The film tells the story of how Oppenheimer and his colleagues at Los Alamos tested the bomb on July 16, 1945, without knowing what would happen, and the consequences that followed.

Murphy defeated Colman Domingo “Rustin” Replaces Bradley Cooper “Maestro” for Paul Giamatti “Prisoners” and for Jeffrey Wright “American Fiction.”

The Irish actor has always been a supporting player, although he’s been a regular in Nolan films going back almost two decades. Nolan wanted him to lead this time.

“He was so understated and self-effacing that he said in that British way of his: ‘Listen, I wrote this script, it’s about Oppenheimer. I’d like you to be my Oppenheimer,” Murphy, 47, told The Associated Press last year. “It was a wonderful day.”

Murphy knows that some movies are right for him and some aren’t.

“I’ve always told Chris, publicly and privately, that if I’m available and you want me to be in a movie, I’m there. “I don’t really care about the size of the piece,” he said last year. “But deep down, I was desperate to play the lead role for him.”

Murphy entered the Academy Awards as a strong candidate after picking up awards at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards and BAFTA Film Awards.