'I Don't Think It's A Good Movie': Cillian Murphy Gets Honest About His Past Films

The Oppenheimer star also spoke about his unique approach to interviews.
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Cillian Murphy
JC Olivera via Getty Images

If there’s one thing Cillian Murphy has given us in the lead-up to this year’s Oscars, it’s some real refreshing honesty. And never was that more the case than during his latest interview with GQ magazine.

The Oppenheimer star recently spoke to GQ about his life and career, during which he shared there are plenty of films from his past that he’s never actually sat down and watched.

“Many of my films I haven’t seen,” the Irish actor explained. “I know that Johnny Depp would always say that, but it’s actually true. Generally the ones I haven’t seen are the ones I hear are not good.”

After GQ questioned whether he’s seen Oppenheimer, he confirmed that, indeed, he has, while “rolling his eyes”.

One of his past films he was less complimentary about was the 2005 Wes Craven thriller Red Eye, which is set aboard a flight from Texas to Florida.

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Cillian Murphy in Red Eye
Dreamworks Llc/Kobal/Shutterstock

Cillian said: “I love Rachel McAdams and we had fun making it. But I don’t think it’s a good movie. It’s a good B movie.”

Elsewhere, the Oscar nominee admitted he’s not a fan of the current way films are promoted, which he described as a “broken model”.

“The model is – everybody is so bored,” he claimed.

Of his own approach to interviews, Cillian revealed: “It’s like Joanne Woodward said, ‘Acting is like sex—do it, don’t talk about it’.

“People always used to say to me, ‘He has reservations’ or ‘He’s a difficult interviewee’. Not really! I love talking about work, about art. What I struggle with, and find unnecessary, and unhelpful about what I want to do, is: ‘Tell me about yourself…’.”

And while he’s happy to chat to fans he meets in public, Cillian insisted he draws the line at selfies 

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Cillian Murphy in character as J Robert Oppenheimer
Universal

The Peaky Blinders star said: “Once I [stopped taking photos with fans], it changed my life. I just think it’s better to say hello, and have a little conversation.

“I tell that to a lot of people, you know, actor friends of mine, and they’re just like: ’I feel so bad’. But you don’t need a photo record of everywhere you’ve been in a day.”

With weeks to go until Cillian discovers whether he’s won his first Oscar, he previously admitted it’s something he’s not paying much mind to, and made us smile last month when he shared the low-key way he celebrated his nomination.

The March issue of British GQ is available via digital download and on newsstands on 27 February.