“I’m a very proud Irishman.”
Cillian Murphy has become the first Irish-born actor to win the Best Actor Oscar.
At the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday night in Los Angeles, the Corkman won the prestigious award for his role as J Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
In his acceptance speech, Murphy thanked Nolan and producer Emma Thomas for their work together over the last 20 years. The trio first worked together in Batman Begins in 2005, and have collaborated on six films together.
Read more:
- REVIEW: Oppenheimer is very much not the movie you might be expecting
- Oppenheimer is difficult to hear on purpose, according to movie’s director
- Matt Damon praises “phenomenal” Cillian Murphy for Oppenheimer tour-de-force
- Cillian Murphy jokingly asks if he should ‘sing a rebel song’ after Bafta win
- REVIEW: Barbie is basically The Matrix in pink glitter instead of black nail varnish
- Following the release of Barbie, Mattel have 45 more movies in the works
- Barbie fans urged to watch Ryan Gosling in hilarious underseen action comedy
- REVIEW: Killers of the Flower Moon should get De Niro his first Oscar in over 40 years
- Family of Leonard Bernstein defend Bradley Cooper’s prosthetic nose in biopic
- REVIEW: Past Lives is the best movie of 2023 so far
- Netflix has just added one of 2023’s very best movies
- One of 2023’s best movies is now available to stream at home
“It’s been the wildest, most exhilarating, most creatively satisfying journey you’ve taken me on over the last 20 years,” Murphy said.
“I owe you more than I can say, thank you so much.”
Murphy, 47, also thanked his family and the entire cast and crew of the film.
Finally, the Peaky Blinders star dedicated his award to the “peacemakers” around the world.
Murphy signed off his speech in Irish by saying, “Go raibh mile maith agat” – something which drew praise from Irish people on social media.
You can read Murphy’s speech in full below:
“I’m a little overwhelmed. Thank you to the Academy. Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas, it’s been the wildest, most exhilarating, most creatively, satisfying journey you’ve taken me on over the last 20 years. I owe you more than I can say, thank you so much.
“Every single crew member, every single cast member on Oppenheimer you guys carried me through. All my fellow nominees, I remain in awe of you guys, truly.
“I want to thank my incredible team. Big shout out to Craig Bankey, Brendan Murphy, Mary Murphy, Yvonne McGuinness, my partner in life and art, my two boys Malachy and Aran who are sitting up there, I love you so much and I’m a very proud Irishman standing here tonight.
“You know, we made a film about the man who created the atomic bomb and for better or for worse we’re all living in Oppenheimer’s world, so I’d really like to dedicate this to the peacemakers everywhere.”
“Go raibh mile maith agat.”
And you can watch Murphy’s Oscar-winning speech below.