Sky News news made sure not to slip up on Cillian Murphy’s nationality

Simon Kelly

Credit where credit is due.

It’s been an incredible couple of years for Ireland in the entertainment industry and the awards nominations are showing it, with this year’s Oscars featuring the likes of Robbie Ryan (cinematographer on Small Things) and Cillian Murphy getting a nod.

However, our increasing popularity on the global stage comes with a price: the increasing likelihood that the Brits will be at it again and start claiming our own.

It’s already happened recently, with Barry Keoghan getting claimed by British GQ, but thankfully it looks like they’re starting to cop on and make a bit of an effort.

UK news channel make sure not to slip up on Cillian Murphy’s nationality

Our case in point of the creeping awareness of the backlash comes from Sky News, as their Oscar nomination discussion fell on to Cillian Murphy’s Best Actor nod for Oppenheimer.

Commentators on the news channel made extra sure to clarify that Cillian was in fact not British, despite staring in the British-made film.

“It feels like it could be Oppenheimer’s year,” Presenter Jayne Secker said to Sky News entertainment correspondents Katy Spencer and Claire Gregory.

Quickly following up on her point, Secker was sure to add, “A strong British interest for us there, Cillian Murphy Irish of course!”

Secker had to be aware of British outlets before being bitten by claiming Irish actors as their own and we doff our cap to her for making the clarification.

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Last year, when Paul Mescal was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for his role in Aftersun, the BBC were forced to apologise after calling him British.

The Kildare man was one of five Irish actors nominated in 2023, alongside Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon, and had his nationality called into question after the UK broadcaster said “British actors Paul Mescal and Bill Nighy are nominated for leading role.”

They issued an apology shortly after, saying, “In text running across the screen we reported that Paul Mescal was one of two British actors who had been nominated for an Oscar for a leading role.

“The text should have said that Paul Mescal is Irish. We apologise for the mistake.”

The subsequent backlash online led Mescal himself to simply Tweet “I’m Irish.”