A “before and after” comparison of Cillian Murphy is gaining traction on social media, as fans debate the Irish actor’s changing appearance over a 13-year period.
The left photo on the post shared by Complex Pop Culture shows a long-haired Murphy with a V-neck and cardigan, a picture taken at the Peaky Blinders premiere in 2013.
Image credits: Karwai Tang/Getty Images
Highlights
- A “before and after” comparison of Cillian Murphy is going viral as fans debate how much the actor’s appearance has changed.
- The post contrasts a photo from the 2013 premiere of 'Peaky Blinders' with a recent image from the premiere of 'Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.'
- Approaching 50, Murphy said middle age has made him reflect on time and focusing on being a good husband and father.
Meanwhile, on the right is an image of the actor with short hair and a suit, captured at the Peaky Blinders film premiere this month.
“How old is he? 13 years difference can really age a person this much?” one user asked on X.
“Yea so that’s what happens to people who don't inject stuff into their bodies. They age,” replied someone else.
Another person chimed in, “He is 50 years old. I don't think you would look half as good at his age.”
Image credits: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images / Fred Duval/FilmMagic
Meanwhile, other fans complimented the 49-year-old actor’s looks, saying he “aged like fine wine.”
“He’s even better looking now. Love the coat!” agreed another.
“Looks d*ad inside in both pictures,” a separate viewer quipped, while another echoed, “He is hurting.”
Murphy has made it very clear that he doesn’t care about Hollywood fame. Known for his reserved personality, he has little interest in the exposure that inevitably comes with being a famous actor.
Image credits: HeyUGuys/YouTube
“Being a personality is not what I am good at,” the Oscar winner recently told The Times of London, before modestly adding, “I’m an incredibly average person, really.”
“Existing in this world? Talking about yourself, going on f***ing red carpets? It’s not healthy if you start to believe this s**t, and I’m really bad at it, too.”
Murphy lives near Dublin rather than in Hollywood and keeps most of his friends outside the film industry. Emily Blunt, his Oppenheimer co-star, labeled him “the best actor in the world and the worst celebrity in the world.”
Image credits: Netflix
The Cork native, who will turn 50 in May, reflected on the milestone birthday, sharing that he’s at a "really interesting" stage of his life. The thought of the new decade has also made him value his loved ones and his time more.
“Middle age is really interesting,” Murphy told The Times in his profile, published last Saturday (February 28). “You’ve had children and been successful and then hit this certain age and think, ‘All right, this is the first time I’ve got less time left than I’ve had so far on this planet.’”
Image credits: GQ
He added, “So I do think, ‘Well, what do I do now?’ Hopefully, I can just be a reasonable dad and husband, and then, when it comes, still take the work incredibly seriously. Most of the time, I’m at home, walking the dog.”
The Dunkirk star has been married to Irish visual artist Yvonne McGuinness since 2004. The couple has two sons, Malachy and Aran.
Image credits: ymcgprojects/Instagram
Murphy reprised his famous role as Tommy Shelby in the upcoming film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, set to be released on Netflix on March 20.
The film is a continuation of the crime series Peaky Blinders, which follows a criminal group in Birmingham, England, in the aftermath of the First World War. The successful show premiered in 2013 and concluded in 2022.
“I was 35 when we started and 48 when we made the film,” Murphy said. “I’ve played Tommy for over a quarter of my life, moving from being a youngish man right into the teeth of middle age. It’s incredibly rewarding seeing everybody around you get older.”
Image credits: Netflix
The film, set amid World War II, also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth, Stephen Graham, and Sophie Rundle.
Though countless fans don’t think twice before naming the series their all-time favorite, Murphy recalled that Peaky Blinders wasn’t an instant hit.
“People thought that it was OK, but its second series was when it really clicked, and people are still discovering it,” he told the British newspaper, suggesting that TV shows are more likely to age better than films.
“A film will come and be hot or not and then it’s gone. But TV? It’s like a novel — people find it.”
Image credits: Netflix
Over the past years, Murphy has played many dark, psychologically complex characters, including the physicist who helped develop the first nuclear weapons, a traumatized British naval officer, and the leader of a crime family.
Some fans suspected that he would soon add Lord Voldemort to his résumé by starring in the upcoming Harry Potter series, produced by HBO in partnership with Warner Bros. Even Ralph Fiennes, who portrayed the villain in the original films, said Murphy would be a “very good” choice.
However, Murphy clarified that he’s “categorically not” playing Harry Potter’s nemesis.
Speaking with Extra, the Inception actor further debunked claims that he would be playing James Bond after a new 007 movie was confirmed.
Asked about the speculation surrounding the role, Murphy simply replied, “I’m kind of busy.”
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