The One Movie Cillian Murphy Couldn’t Watch Without Crying—And He Wasn’t Even in It!

Cillian Murphy, renowned for his roles in films like Oppenheimer and 28 Days Later, is no stranger to emotionally charged performances. However, one movie, in particular, has left a deep emotional imprint on the actor—a film in which he did not star, yet resonated with him on a profoundly personal level. That movie is Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar (2014), a sci-fi epic exploring love, sacrifice, and the survival of humanity. Murphy recently revealed just how much Interstellar touched him, describing it as a film that “broke his heart.”

A Heartfelt Revelation

In a 2023 interview with The Independent, Cillian Murphy shared his emotional connection to Interstellar, saying, “I adore Interstellar just because I find it so emotional. I remember seeing it in the cinema when I had little kids. It just had a big impact on me. It broke my heart.” This statement was echoed in multiple sources, underscoring the deep personal resonance the film held for Murphy. As a father of two, Murphy’s heartfelt reaction to Interstellar is likely tied to the themes of parental love, sacrifice, and the enduring bond between family members, themes that play a central role in the film.

For Murphy, Interstellar offered a deeply emotional viewing experience—one that went beyond the film’s narrative and was colored by his personal life. The context of watching the film with his young children only amplified its impact. The emotional weight of Interstellar, which grapples with the sacrifices parents make for their children, likely mirrored Murphy’s own reflections on fatherhood, making it a deeply transformative cinematic experience for him.

A Relatable Experience

Murphy’s reaction to Interstellar is not just about its high-concept narrative but about how the film intertwined complex emotional themes with universal human experiences. The portrayal of a father’s desperate journey through space to save his children is a story that speaks to the very core of Murphy’s own values. His mention of watching the movie with his children reveals how personal and familial experiences enhanced the emotional intensity of the film for him. The words “it broke my heart” reflect not just a cinematic appreciation but a deeply emotional reaction to the film’s themes of love, loss, and the lengths parents will go to for their children.

In the same interview, Murphy also humorously noted, “I love watching his films when I’m not in them because you don’t have to freak out about the size of your ears, or whatever.” This sentiment reveals a refreshing openness, where Murphy could simply experience the film as a viewer—free from the pressures of being in front of the camera—and allows us to understand the significance Interstellar held for him. It provided a rare opportunity for Murphy to connect with the emotional depth of the story without the need to analyze his own performance, enhancing his ability to appreciate the film’s themes in a personal and immersive way.

Comparing Emotional Impact

Although Murphy has worked with Christopher Nolan on multiple films, including Batman Begins, Inception, and Dunkirk, Interstellar stands out as the one film that moved him in such a profound way. Unlike his roles in Broken (2012), a coming-of-age drama where he played a supporting role, Interstellar presented a different kind of emotional experience—one where the themes deeply aligned with his own experiences as a parent.

While Broken also garnered critical attention for its narrative and performances, it did not elicit the same personal, heart-wrenching reaction from Murphy. In contrast, Interstellar’s portrayal of love, sacrifice, and the connections between family members seemed to tap into Murphy’s own feelings as a father, making it stand out in his cinematic journey.

Conclusion: A Personal Connection Beyond Cinema

Cillian Murphy’s emotional response to Interstellar transcends the boundaries of film critique. The movie’s profound emotional depth, combined with its themes of love, family, and sacrifice, deeply resonated with Murphy on a personal level. His revelation that it “broke his heart” speaks volumes about the power of storytelling in cinema to touch the hearts of its audience—no matter how deeply involved they may be in the industry themselves.

For Murphy, Interstellar was not just a sci-fi film; it was an emotional exploration of the very human experience of parenthood and the lengths a parent will go to for their children. This movie, though not one in which he appeared, revealed the emotional vulnerability of a father reflecting on the extraordinary bond he shares with his own children. Interstellar remains a poignant reminder that even the most celebrated actors are not immune to the powerful emotional experiences that movies can offer—whether they are in the starring role or simply watching as a spectator.