Cillian Murphy declares himself to his wife after winning another award after the Oscar for Best Actor: ‘She’s the one who keeps me sane’ | Films

Anyone who claims that true love is a thing of fantasy has probably never seen Cillian Murphy, the most recent winner of the Oscar for Best Actor for his work in ‘Oppenheimer’, alongside his beloved wife, the artist Yvonne McGuinness. In his most recent victory, at the annual Irish Academy of Film and Television Awards, again for his portrayal of the physicist who invented the atomic bomb, leader of the Manhattan Project, Cillian thanked his past friends, the support of the community and, above all, his wife , with whom he has been together since the late 1990s.

The Irish Television and Film Academy Awards is one of the most popular ceremonies in Ireland, the artist’s homeland. Every year, the main names in the local industry come together to celebrate and honor the best performances of the past year. In 2024, Murphy was the center of attention, as expected. After having won the symbol that is the epitome of prestige in the artistic community, it was more than obvious that it would be the Irishman from Cork who would win the award for Best Actor in his “backyard”.

Along with him, in the same category were also several other Irish prides competing: Andrew Scott, the youngest Tom Ripley, for his role in ‘All of Us Unknown’, a romance with another Irish favorite, Paul Mescal; David Wilmot for the drama ‘Lies We Tell’; Barry Ward for ‘That They May Face the Rising Sun’; Pierce Brosnan, one of the most beloved 007, for the war thriller ‘The Last Rifleman’; and, of course, the popular Barry Keoghan for his much talked about Oliver Quick, from ‘Saltburn’.

There was no doubt about the result; Of course, Murphy was the one who took home the prize. The proud citizen has traveled the world over the last 20 years spreading his good manners and the joy of having come from a small town in Ireland. After Christopher Nolan’s hit – his fifth collaboration with the British director – there was no other who could take the award from him. The actor won both inside and outside the house.

Upon having his name announced by his prestigious colleague, Lily Gladstone (‘Killers of the Flower Moon’), Cillian kissed his wife and went on stage to thank her. He began, as always, anxiously: “My God, I’m still terrible at this!”, he joked as he tried to form sentences in front of his friends and prestigious names in the local industry.

“I wanted to thank Christopher Nolan for giving me this role. It was a phenomenal responsibility and challenge. I want to thank Universal and everyone I worked closely with. You know, being in this place is very special; being surrounded by people who I love and admire; my competitors are my favorites and my best friends too. It reminded me of being a young actor and receiving encouragement from so many people, but I really feel like it’s a community,” he said. stumbles and nervous laughter.

The actor then ends with his statement to his wife, Yvonne McGuinness. “I would also like to thank my wife, Yvonne McGuinness, for keeping me sane.”

Yvonne and Cillian met in the mid-1990s, when Murphy, in addition to being an amateur actor, was trying his hand at the life of a rock star. He had a small band with some friends and played small shows here and there in Ireland. At one of these events, he met the artist. The rockstar project didn’t work out, he himself admits.

Her husband’s, however, was very successful.

Yvonne decided to follow the actor around the country while he traveled to do the play ‘Disco Pigs’. “At that time, ‘Disco Pigs’ was the main event in my life. […] It was around the same time I met my wife, she came traveling with us…We were just a bunch of young people trying to figure out what to do with our lives. It was a very special moment,” he told The Guardian in 2016.

Shortly afterwards they were married, in 2004. Cillian and Yvonne lived in Ireland until moving to London, where getting from one place to another was easier for Murphy, during the hectic life of an emerging actor. The couple had two children, Malachy in 2005 and Aran in 2007. In 2015, they decided to return to their homeland after a curious incident involving the children’s British accents.

Completing two decades of marriage, Cillian and Yvonne are more in love than ever. Very different from his dramatic and unhappy characters in fiction, the actor did manage to find true love; and still early: only at 20 years old.

Check out the trailer for ‘Oppenheimer’, which earned Cillian Murphy a shower of awards and the moment the actor wins Best Actor at the Irish Television and Film Academy Awards.

*Edited by Luís Alberto Nogueira