Advertisement
Film

Cillian Murphy: “You are given the chance to create and fail”

Cillian Murphy, who plays the troublesome ‘Shivering Soldier’ in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk tells The Big Issue about the epic scale of the film

After playing the Scarecrow in Batman Begins (and a cameo in The Dark Knight), Cillian Murphy has already worked with director Christopher Nolan on some pretty big films, but Dunkirk was on a whole different scale.

“Occasionally you walk onto huge sets and are a little overwhelmed but when it comes down to the performance it’s very intimate and that’s really reassuring for an actor,” Murphy says.

“When you work on a film with Chris and Emma [Thomas, producer], the experience always feels incredibly intimate, even though they are big scale productions.  The way Chris shoots, he’s always right there with the actors, right beside the camera, he’s just there. It never feels big and it is actor driven so you always feel protected and given the chance to create stuff and fail and attempt stuff.

“You can see that in the performances he’s gotten from his actors,” Murphy continues. “People really trust him when you’re in the middle of creating a scene. And he’s really hands on. When we were shooting on the Moonstone he was doing every single department’s job. He’s so invested in it. So he’s right there with you in every experience and I think that’s why actors are so willing to give so much.”

In Dunkirk, Murphy plays the character known as the ‘Shivering Soldier’ in an incredible cast that includes Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy alongside relative newcomer to the screen Fionn Whitehead and Harry Styles.

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertisement
Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

Never miss an issue

Take advantage of our special subscription offer. Subscribe from just £9.99 and never miss an issue.

Recommended for you

Read All
SIX The Musical star Aimie Atkinson: 'Henry VIII's wives had issues that women are still dealing with'
Film

SIX The Musical star Aimie Atkinson: 'Henry VIII's wives had issues that women are still dealing with'

Sex work is 'just another option in London's gig economy', says Sebastian filmmaker Mikko Mäkelä
Film

Sex work is 'just another option in London's gig economy', says Sebastian filmmaker Mikko Mäkelä

A Minecraft Movie director Jared Hess on why if you can find the time to play and create, it's worth it
Film

A Minecraft Movie director Jared Hess on why if you can find the time to play and create, it's worth it

The End review – get prepped for a singalong apocalypse
Film

The End review – get prepped for a singalong apocalypse

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue