The unlikely charm of Cillian Murphy

For lovers of male beauty, the Oscars 2024 hold great promise. Among the nominees for Best Actor, we have Bradley Cooper, with his traditional American white-guy charm, and Colman Domingo, whom we've come to appreciate in Euphoria. Among the supporting actors, we find Mark Ruffalo with his sweet eyes and Robert Downey Jr, with that slightly cocky Iron Man attitude. Despite the presence of what could easily be described as daddies of the internet, one of them stands out as a surprise, emerging as the most desired man on social media. We're talking about Cillian Murphy.

Cillian Murphy, the Story of a Reluctant Sex Symbol

There's no competition on Twitter and TikTok. Gen Z goes crazy for this talented and somewhat reserved man, who attends every event and red carpet as if he wants to leave as soon as possible, avoiding any kind of gossip or scandal, who has been with the same woman for 20 years, the artist Yvonne McGuinness, who has confessed to faking an orgasm (without getting caught, after all, he's an actor) and to leaving England because his children (born in 2005 and 2007) had picked up an annoying posh accent, which he, being from Douglas, Ireland, detests. In short, his charm is a bit understated and without frills, but evidently, it works.

Cillian Murphy, an Impressive Career and Friendship with Nolan

Even when it comes to celebrities, there are trends, waves, moments of up and down. For example, it can happen that an actor, even if they've been working for decades, suddenly explodes, thanks to a particularly successful film. This is the case with Murphy, who has numerous films and TV series on his resume, who is one of Christopher Nolan's favorite actors, with whom he has worked not only in Oppenheimer (for which experts claim he will win the coveted statuette on the night of March 10th and 11th) but also in Inception, Batman Begins, and Dunkirk. Furthermore, the 47-year-old has become a TV series fan favorite in the role of Tommy Shelby, the boss of Peaky Blinders. For his roles, he's willing to change a lot, embracing every set and every experience as a moment for reflection, an opportunity to grow. For example, just for the TV series - which required him to put on some muscles - he temporarily abandoned his vegetarian diet, only to resume it immediately after. Furthermore, he has stated that he reconsidered his relationship with divinity in 2007 after filming a movie (Sunshine) in which he portrayed a physicist and astronaut.

Why Do We Like Him So Much?

Beauty is subjective, as is charm. Let's be clear, though: an actor dedicated to his craft, with light eyes and a salt-and-pepper mane, who isn't afraid to express his opinions and viewpoints, and who does so with a unique accent, is not so difficult to like. Perhaps contributing to this is the success of Oppenheimer and the memes about his Irishness, which place him on the same level as other very charming actors like Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal, prompting Vox to title, "Why all the internet’s boyfriends are Irish - Irish men are having a moment in Hollywood." Last but not least, we might consider the impact that a discreet masculinity, not overpowering or stereotypical, has on the hearts of viewers. And so the surprise is no longer much of a surprise.