- Oscar winner Cillian Murphy has a lot of fans in the acting industry
Oscar-nominated actor Stephen Rea sang Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy’s praises, calling him: ‘something very special’. Film legend Rea (77) will be presented with the Irish Film and Television Academy’s (IFTA) Lifetime Achievement award trophy at the 2024 IFTA awards ceremony this coming Saturday.
Asked by Miriam O’Callaghan on RTE Radio One if it’s a massive achievement for him, the Belfast actor said: “Of course it is but I’m not sure I deserve it particularly, well I’ve had a long life so I deserve something!
“But it’s wonderful and I love IFTA, they’ve done a fantastic job supporting the film industry here and it’s a wonderful occasion because it’s got that special thing that its as much fun as anything, you’re not sweating your heart out because you might not get your award or anything it’s just a bit of craic.”
Miriam said the actor sounded very humble for someone who will be winning the “biggest award” of the evening, but Stephen didn’t agree that it is the most important. “I’m sure there are plenty of people who are wanting an award and don’t think I’m getting the biggest one,” he said. “Cillian Murphy is getting more awards the more he looks around the corner.”
Rea has worked with the Oscar-winning actor on several projects, including Breakfast on Pluto and Ballyturk. He said he knew Cillian had something special when he first met him as a budding actor.
“He is a really adorable guy, of course, he had something very special, with tremendous focus, and he’s a good laugh, he is a good guy to work with,” he said.
“He is a really great fella, and it’s nice to go out with him for drinks and what have you, his approach to acting is very reassuring and very good, he gets the nitty-gritty of it and it comes out truthfully.”
Stephen said he never even thought about winning an accolade such as an IFTA Lifetime Achievement award and always focused on his art. “I don’t think anybody thinks that way, you’re just going for the next part and focusing on the next task,” he said.
“I was always very determined and everything but a career is a bit of a pain you know, artists are never satisfied. They have a kind of dark dissatisfaction that forces them to work on and I think that’s the most truthful thing.”
