Oscars 2024 | Irish Minister for Culture and Arts pays tribute to Best Actor winner Cillian Murphy

The 96th Academy Awards saw numerous highlights overnight, with “Oppenheimer” sweeping this year’s ceremony alongside “Poor Things” and Jonathan Glazer’s harrowing holocaust film “The Zone of Interest.” That’s alongside Billie Eilish earning her second Oscar win and John Cena’s presentation of the Best Costume Design immediately becoming one of this year’s memeable moments.

But throughout all the glitz, glamour and goofing around, it’s been a day of celebration in Ireland after one of their own, Cillian Murphy, scooped his latest consecutive Best Actor award for his role as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s award-winning film. In winning the award, Murphy once again becomes the first Irish-born actor to win the Best Actor award, following on from the feat he accomplished at this year’s BAFTA Film Awards.

His win has already been met with tribute from a host of Irish personalities, including the Irish minister for culture and arts, Catherine Martin. “This award for his title role in Oppenheimer is the pinnacle of any actor’s career and a fitting recognition of the immense talent of Cillian Murphy,” she said. “Long a favourite of Irish audiences on stage and screen, he has since shown himself to be a master of his craft and has secured his place among the world’s greatest actors.

“This Oscar success is no more than he deserves and I wish him every success in all his future films.”

Minister Martin also congratulated the cast and crew of “Poor Things”, co-produced by Ireland’s Element Pictures, which secured 11 Oscar nominations and won four awards. “2023 was a hugely successful year for Irish film production and Irish talent. I hope this Academy Award is a starting point for more success and acclaim for the large pool of talent existing in the Irish film industry,” she said.

Those tributes to Murphy were also echoed by Screen Ireland, which wrote “We are delighted to see such a talented Irish artist receive worldwide recognition and critical acclaim for his extraordinary performance.

“Throughout the years Cillian Murphy has delivered so many outstanding performances in Irish films, from "Disco Pigs" to "The Wind That Shakes The Barley", and more recently in "Small Things Like These" and we look forward to working with him again in the future.

“We hope that the next generation of Irish filmmakers and artists watching Cillian bring his Oscar home will be inspired to continue the pursuit of their craft in the Irish film industry.”

Ireland’s ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason also said it was a “great night for the Irish” after Irishman Cillian Murphy and Irish film studio Element Pictures’ film Poor Things won at the Oscars. “Congratulations to the incredible Irish winners at Oscars2024,” she said on the social media site X.

“Great night for the Irish in Hollywood! Our own Cillian Murphy’s performance in @OppenheimerFilm makes him the first Irish-born actor to take home the #Oscar for Best Actor & @ElementPictures take home four awards!”