With the news that Peaky Blinders would be returning on August 25 for its fifth season, we've decided to take a look back at some of Cillian Murphy's best roles across film and television to-date. He's one of the most recognisable names in Hollywood, and a man who will surely be entertaining us all for decades to come! Here are seven of his best performances so far...
7. Jim in 28 Days Later
These days, zombie dramas are all over the place, but 28 Days Later was one of the films that started the trend, rather than following it! Murphy took on the role of Jim; someone who wakes up from a coma in an abandoned city which has become overrun by the walking dead. Going from bewildered accidental survivor, to a hero who's intent on making it through to the next day, Murphy puts on an incredible show, showcasing his stellar acting chops and breaking down the doors to mainstream Hollywood.
6. Robert Fischer in Inception
Christopher Nolan is known for being an ambitious filmmaker, and that didn't change when he released Inception, starring such names as Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, and Michael Caine. Murphy holds his own amongst the A-listers, providing one of the most memorable performances he's ever brought to the big screen.
5. Josef Gabcík in Anthropoid
Chronicling the events that took place in December 1941, when two soldiers landed in Czechoslovakia with a plan to assassinate a high-ranking Nazi officer, Anthropoid is an intense and thrilling watch. Murphy runs away with the spotlight as a part of the movie, matched by Jamie Dornan, with the pair playing the two resistance fighters that lead the flick.
4. Damien O'Donovan in The Wind That Shakes the Barley
Murphy throws himself entirely into his role in The Wind That Shakes the Barley, which transports audiences back to the early 1920s, and the Irish War of Independence. Utterly believable in his role from start to finish, he portrays anger, grief, loss, and everything inbetween with excellence.
3. Jackson Rippner in Red Eye
The late Wes Craven directed Red Eye, and brought audiences an extremely claustrophobic thriller in the process. Murphy tackles the role of a villain here, who at first lures in his victim with charm before going in for the kill. Rippner is a master of deception, which Murphy portrays with ease.
2. Dr. Jonathan Crane aka The Scarecrow in Batman Begins
Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy has been cited by many as the best trio of live-action Dark Knight flicks to have ever been brought to the big screen. Murphy took on the role of Dr. Jonathan Crane in the debut flick, Batman Begins; a villain who takes on the mantle of The Scarecrow, and enjoys an unhealthy obsession with the psychology of fear.
1. Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders
If you've not yet seen Peaky Blinders, what are you waiting for? All four of the show's past seasons are available on Netflix before the series' return later this month, so get caught up before Thomas Shelby makes his return to the small screen. Murphy plays the lead with brilliance, gifting viewers with the performance of a lifetime.
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