“It’s not something I’m ever totally at ease with.”
Cillian Murphy has, over the years, earned a reputation as one of Hollywood’s more reserved stars. The Cork actor has had a steady rise to fame over two decades and is arguably at the height of it – with a Best Actor Oscar in his sights.
Speaking on Desert Island Discs this week, Murphy has opened up about how he has had to adapt to the limelight over the years.
Citing his family as huge pillars of support, the Irishman has admitted that, despite his unease, “you’d be an eejit” not to enjoy the upcoming Oscars ceremony.
“You’d be an eejit not to enjoy it”- Cillian Murphy opens up on red carpet struggles
Speaking to host Lauren Laverne on the long-running BBC radio show, Murphy said that he has “struggled” with the fame element of his acting career in the past.
“It’s not something I’m ever totally at ease with,” he said. “But I think you have to, like, choose to enjoy it and I think you can do that in your brain, just make that alteration and it’s easier then.
“I’ll have my wife and my kids with me, and that’s been lovely… and you’d be an eejit not to enjoy it, just go with it, that’s my attitude.”
Later on in the interview, the Oppenheimer star mentioned his “very, very understanding family” – his wife, visual artist Yvonne McGuinness, and two boys, Aran and Malachy – saying that their support over the years has been “crucial” as he finds the “ancillary aspect of being an actor quite challenging”.
Murphy also said: “To have a really secure solid base (with fame) is important. It’s been really important for me, you have to have that safe place.”
“I think I certainly do, where it’s just like an island of comfort and ease.”
Throughout his interview, Murphy chose a number of records that mean a lot to him, including U2’s Bullet the Blue Sky, Radiohead’s ‘Everything in its Right Place’ and The Beatles’ ‘We Can Work It Out’.
You can listen to the full interview on the BBC website here.
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