Cillian Murphy was intense in Small Things Like These role: ‘He was very quiet – simmering’

Cillian Murphy was intense in Small Things Like These role: ‘He was very quiet – simmering’

As a cinephile who has been fortunate enough to witness the evolution of Cillian Murphy’s career over the past few decades, I can confidently say that Small Things Like These is yet another testament to his exceptional talent. His portrayal of Bill Furlong is nothing short of masterful – a quiet storm brewing beneath the surface, ready to explode at any moment.


There’s no denying that Cillian Murphy consistently gives powerful performances, as evidenced by his acclaimed, Academy Award-winning role in Oppenheimer. In his latest film, Small Things Like These, the talented actor from Peaky Blinders offers another exceptional performance, although it is somewhat distinct from his previous work.

According to the critically-adored novel with the same title by Claire Keegan, the movie features Murphy portraying Bill Furlong, a character who operates a modest coal enterprise in County Wicklow during the 1980s.

As he watches the movie, he starts pondering about his past once he discovers a troubling truth that was unveiled during the era of the infamous Magdalene Laundries – guiding him through a challenging and contradictory journey.

Murphy delivers a subtle and understated performance that left his co-stars Emily Watson and Eileen Walsh in awe as they watched him work, praising it as exceptional.

He was incredibly reserved, almost like an unspoken timebomb, barely uttering words yet deeply engrossed.

Watson noted that it shows a great deal about Murphy’s dedication and preferences in his career choices, considering this is his first project as a producer, that he’s drawn to this type of film work where she portrays Sister Mary.

Simultaneously, Walsh – portraying Furlong’s character Eileen in the film and sharing a 30-year friendship with Murphy – expressed delight at observing him juggle his twin roles as both producer and leading actor.

Cillian Murphy was intense in Small Things Like These role: ‘He was very quiet – simmering’

She mentioned that he held a deep affection for everyone who joined the set, often expressing something like, ‘Can’t wait for you to meet the actor portraying… I had the pleasure of working with him 30 years back.’

“But he’s amazing. However tenuous the link, everybody was on set for a reason, and he was also brilliantly able to change hats.

During the brief interludes when they’d call “cut”, we’d step aside for around 10 minutes, giving us time to regroup… and he often had to attend to emails, consult with someone about a producer query, or similar tasks.

“And there was a time and a place for that. He just managed to really stand in his value, I think, throughout it. But he has such a drive for this particular project as well. He’s very passionate.”

In his own words, Murphy expressed that he “thoroughly appreciated” the time spent as a producer in addition to his acting duties. However, it’s important to note that his responsibilities primarily focused on the creative aspects of the project.

Instead of preparing budgets or dealing with tax credits, that was the responsibility of another producer named Alan Moloney.

“But I loved it, and for me, a lot of it was just bringing people together.

Imagine the amazing results when these three gifted individuals collaborate! The synergy of their talents is something truly exciting.

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2024-10-24 18:34