“I’d Very Much Like to Emulate Him” – Cillian Murphy Finally Names the Actor Who Shaped His Dreams!

Cillian Murphy, known for mesmerizing performances in Oppenheimer, Peaky Blinders, and 28 Days Later, has quietly carved out one of the most fascinating careers in modern cinema. But behind his cool, enigmatic presence lies a very specific source of inspiration: Brendan Gleeson — the actor Murphy has long admired and hopes to emulate.

In a revealing interview with Far Out Magazine, Murphy candidly spoke about his deep respect for Gleeson, describing him as a guiding figure throughout his career. “I’ve gone to him a number of times for advice about situations in the business and how to deal with certain things. But above all, he’s a fantastic actor,” Murphy said. His admiration isn’t just personal — it’s rooted in Gleeson’s breathtaking range. “To play Churchill on HBO, and then he’s in Harry Potter, and then he’s in this film as this incredibly charismatic performance as this fucking crazy sociopath gangster. I love the way he moves between genre and can just play any type of character. Good guy, bad guy… It’s a career I’d very much like to emulate,” Murphy explained.

Their bond is more than aspirational; it’s professional and personal. The two Irish actors have shared the screen multiple times — starting back in 1998 with Sweety Barrett and later in films like 28 Days Later, Cold Mountain, and Perrier’s Bounty. Watching Gleeson’s ability to seamlessly transition between indie dramas, blockbuster fantasy franchises like Harry Potter, and heavyweight historical portrayals only deepened Murphy’s admiration.

Murphy’s own career mirrors the versatility he so admires: leading genre-defining horror films, anchoring gritty television dramas, and commanding prestige biopics under directors like Christopher Nolan. But it’s the philosophy behind Gleeson’s work — the refusal to be boxed into any one type, the embrace of both commercial and intimate projects — that Murphy finds most inspiring.

While many fans associate Murphy’s loyalty to filmmaker Christopher Nolan as a defining career relationship, it’s Gleeson who represents the blueprint for the kind of actor Murphy aspires to be. Both actors share a quiet, powerful screen presence and an understated approach to fame, focusing purely on the craft.

In a Hollywood landscape often obsessed with stardom over substance, Cillian Murphy’s choice of role model says everything about him — and points to why his career, much like Gleeson’s, will likely only become more fascinating with time.