Gracie Abrams and Paul Mescal. Getty Images for BAFTA
After three awards shows, all in Los Angeles, Hollywood’s A-list is heading across the pond. Yes, it’s time for the BAFTAs, the annual ceremony that honors the best in British and international cinema. Presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, the BAFTAs are once again taking place at Royal Festival Hall in London’s Southbank Centre tonight, Feb. 22, but with a new host. This year, Alan Cumming is taking over duties from David Tennant, who hosted the ceremony for the past two years.
By the order of the Peaky Blinders, Cillian Murphy‘s Tommy Shelby and his crew of Birmingham mobsters are back in this teaser-trailer for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
Netflix dropped the new footage for the upcoming film, the first big screen chapter following a six-season TV run, on Christmas Eve. Driven by the vibes and atmosphere Peaky Blinders fans know and love, Murphy’s Shelby is seen wondering a forest, graveyard and home as a voice ponders, “Whatever happened to Tommy Shelby?”
As a phone ring echoes, a series of scenes — some violent, bloody or alluding to the presence of Nazis — rapidly flash on screen. As Shelby responds, “I’m not that man anymore,” another series of images flash, this time of a massive building explosion, a red scarf draped over a headstone and a spinning coin. That’s when another voice tells Shelby, “You gotta come back,” as he slams his hands down on a table.
The move triggers even more scenes, this time with a rapid machine gun, a pocket watch, burning photos and a glimpse of cast member Barry Keoghan.
The minute-long teaser trailer, while sparse on narrative, is chock full of imagery fans of the series might recognize — and speculate about. The film itself is set in 1940 Birmingham amid WWII, with Shelby driven out of the self-imposed exile he chose at the end of season six. With both his family and country at stake, the equally brutal and charismatic gang leader will face his biggest and most destruction reckoning, taking on his own demons as he decides whether to confront his legacy or burn it down.
In a conversation with Netflix’s Tudum, Murphy discussed his decision to return to Shelby, after his character garnered a well-received series ending. “It seems like Tommy Shelby wasn’t finished with me,” Murphy told Netflix. “It is very gratifying to be re-collaborating with Steven Knight and Tom Harper on the film version of Peaky Blinders. This is one for the fans.”
Series creator Knight added: “The country is at war, and so, of course, are our Peaky Blinders,” Knight told Netflix. “It will be an explosive chapter in the Peaky Blinders story. No holds barred. Full-on Peaky Blinders at war.”
Returning alongside Knight is director Tom Harper, with cast members including Murphy, Keoghan, Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth, Sophie Rundle, Ned Dennehy, Packy Lee, Ian Peck, Jay Lycurgo, and Stephen Graham.
In December, Netflix announced that the return of Peaky Blinders would come in two forms — a two-week theatrical release on March 6, and then its streaming release, beginning March 20.
Last month, Cillian, 49, made an appearance on the Graham Norton Show alongside Taylor Swift, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Domhnall Gleeson but all the attention was turned to the audience when the Ophelia hitmaker pointed out Cillian’s son in the audience.
Taylor was more than complimentary about Cillian’s boys, reflecting on the time she met them at an A-list party. Cillian explained: “‘We were at a party and I had the whole gang and my family, and my kids. I don’t think my kids were legally allowed to be there,’ he said of his teenage sons.
One of Cillian Murphy’s sons can be seen in the background of a photo taken at the Golden Globe Awards
“I don’t know, but they were delightful. Your sons are the future of our world. They were such great conversationalists, they were interesting and interested, like that’s the real accomplishment,” Taylor replied. “They’re here aren’t they?” actress Greta Lee asked. Cillian said: “One of them is here yeah, Aran. Wait where is he? Maybe he’s not here.”
The global pop sensation was so taken aback at how much Aran looks his film star dad, leading Taylor to exclaim: “Oh he’s right there, you can tell!” Graham added: “Oh my god, he is so Cillian Murphy’s child. If this were a game show we’ve all just won a prize.”
Chip off the old block
As previously mentioned Cillian is incredibly private about his family, with his sons making the occasional red carpet appearance. One thing the Oppenheimer actor has opened up about previously is both his boys’ desires to follow in his acting footsteps, although Cillian has confirmed this isn’t something he is putting pressure on for them to pursue.
He told the Telegraph in 2024: “One of my friends saw him in a play and said, ‘Cill, he’s better looking, he’s a better actor, he’s younger, and he’s taller. You’re [expletive].’ We’ll see. People are smart enough to judge you on your talent. There’s no way any kid will get by on nepotism alone. Everyone in this business gets found out unless they’re good, and he’s a good little actor.
“But we’re not putting him under any pressure. If he decides to become a musician or a poet or a farmer or a chef, that’s up to him. It may not be the thing he does, but he’s really good at it,’ Cillian said of his son’s budding career in an interview with The Telegraph in 2024.
Aran is already making a name for himself and is set to appear in an adaptation of Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, which is directed by Taika Waititi.
Cillian Murphy is one of the most distinctive actors of his age, perhaps best known for his Oscar Award-winning performance in “Oppenheimer.” Since winning the honor in 2024, he’s added the role of producer to his resume. He talked about the career move and bringing his latest character to the screen in the new film “Steve.”
Movies about institutions for schooling the unschoolable used to be a big part of British cinema, whether sly, subversive comedies like the St. Trinian’s franchise or heavy social dramas, which flourished in the wake of Alan Clarke’s 1979 prison movie Scum. As a genre, it’s been dormant for a while, but it has taken a Belgian (director Tim Mielants) and an Irishman (star/producer Cillian Murphy) to bring it back, and though it breezes by at a surprisingly brisk pace, Steve packs a lot of deep thought into a seemingly slight tale.
The film takes place over the course of a day or two at a school named Stanton Wood; the year is 1996, and a TV crew from TV’s Point West show has arrived to record an item for the late-night edition. They appear to come in good faith, intrigued by the good work being done by headmaster Steve (Murphy) with kids from underprivileged backgrounds. But in a piece to camera later, the presenter reveals the real reason they are there: “Some call it a last chance, some call it an expensive dumping ground for lost causes.” Given that the scheme costs the taxpayer £30k a year, it’s no surprise that resources have been dwindling lately, and this news item certainly won’t help that.
It begins with Steve driving, but not to work. First he goes to a field where Shy, one of his students, is smoking a joint and dancing to drum’n’bass on his headphones. Steve gently coaxes him back to school, where the film crew is causing havoc. The texture of the news footage is suitably grainy, like VHS, but it stitches seamlessly in to the vérité style of the film itself, a restless sea of handheld camera that becomes more agitated as its protagonist does. The catalyst for this a meeting with the school’s board — who look more like trustafarian hedge managers than social workers — where it is revealed that the grand but crumbling school building is going to be sold off at the end of the year.
Mielants’ thoughtful, affecting film is about the repercussions of that meeting, and while Steve struggles to accept the fact that his life’s work is about to vanish before his eyes, we also see the TV crew’s footage of the young people in his care. They’re a strange bunch, physically and emotionally, and at times they can be charming, funny and cheeky (“You can’t just casually call me a d*ck and a poof,” Steve explains wearily to one of the boys). They can also be caustic and, in a disturbing new trend, prone to turning violent, as the school’s psychologist (Emily Watson) attests. The school’s deputy, Amanda (Tracy Ullman) summarizes the situation with a succinct outline of her duties. “I’m part prison warden, part nurse, part battleaxe, part mummy… And I f*cking love them.”
Who would want to give up so much of their time for kids like this, in an educational program described as “spectacularly unsustainable”? Murphy, sporting a beard and back to a healthy weight after Oppenheimer, does his best to explain that and, in doing so, really disappears into the part. Even martyrs can only take so much, however, and when Steve’s pent-up anger finds an outlet in drink and prescription drugs, we start to find out a little more about his tragic backstory and the life-changing event that now defines him.
There’s sufficient material here for a sentimental star vehicle, but Murphy generously shares the spotlight with a small but remarkable ensemble (kudos goes to casting director Robert Sterne for that). Chief among them is Ullman, who, like Murphy, is somehow never fazed by the frenetic ups and downs of life at the school, and then there are the kids themselves, a motley bunch whose neuroses and camaraderie recall the psych ward in Milos Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
There’s no Nurse Ratched here, however, but there is the kindly Steve, who watches out for all of them, especially Shy, who is hiding a secret from the others. Because of his violent fits, his mother has told him she and his stepfather will no longer see him — no phone calls, no visits. “But what if I need you?” he asks, incredulous and emotional. What indeed. At its heart, Steve is a bittersweet celebration of the art of being there for other people in their darkest moments, while acknowledging that it sometimes takes the patience of a saint to do so.
Title: Steve Festival: Toronto (Platform) Director: Tim Mielants Screenplay: Max Porter Cast: Cillian Murphy, Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo, Simbi Ajikawo, Emily Watson Distributor: Netflix Running time: 1 hr 32 mins
Cillian Murphy has reprised his iconic Peaky Blinders role and reunited with Steven Knight, the mastermind behind the hit Birmingham gangster drama, in a first look photo released Monday.
The Peaky Blinders Netflix film, directed by Tom Harper, is officially in production, the streaming giant announced on Monday. The film follows a six-season series met with critical acclaim, with Oscar winner Murphy, Paul Anderson, Helen McCrory, Tom Hardy, and Joe Cole leading the cast. So far confirmed for the movie are Saltburn‘s Barry Keoghan and Dune‘s Rebecca Ferguson.
“By order of the Peaky Blinders,” it said, “Tommy Shelby is back. Cillian Murphy and Steven Knight are reunited on set as production officially starts on the upcoming Netflix film.” Murphy and Knight were photographed together for the post.
By order of the Peaky Blinders… Tommy Shelby is back.
Cillian Murphy and Steven Knight are reunited on set as production officially starts on the upcoming Netflix film. pic.twitter.com/qWsQuntzCe
The series first premiered on BBC Two in 2013, though Netflix later acquired the rights to release the show in the U.S.
Knight was tight-lipped about the film’s plot at the Royal Television Society‘s London Convention earlier this month. The writer told the audience: “It’s set in the second world war and it’s really good.” When the confirmation of the Peaky Blinders film came through, Murphy said in a statement: “This is one for the fans.”
The show culminated with season six in 2022, shortly before the Irishman went on to star in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, nabbing him an Academy Award.
Murphy’s latest project Small Things Like These, depicting the horrors of Ireland’s church’s abusive workhouses for unwed mothers, is set for a Nov. 1 release in the U.K., and Nov. 8 in the U.S.
LOS ANGELES — All eyes were on “Oppenheimer,” directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt, at the Oscars on Sunday. The film dominated throughout awards season.
Now, it’s been named Best Picture at the 2024 Academy Awards.
The top prize of the night was presented by “The Godfather” star Al Pacino – who seemingly jumped the gun by announcing the winner before listing the nominees. But Pacino and his team say that was the plan all along.
Al Pacino presents the award for best picture during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
“There seems to be some controversy about my not mentioning every film by name last night before announcing the best picture award,” Pacino said in a statement. “I just want to be clear it was not my intention to omit them, rather a choice by the producers not to have them said again since they were highlighted individually throughout the ceremony.”
Rather than listing all 10 nominees while presenting the best picture Oscar, or offering an “And the Oscar goes to,” Pacino said “Here it comes” before slowly opening the envelope.
“And my eyes see ‘Oppenheimer,’” Pacino said, before the camera quickly panned to the winners in the audience.
Cillian Murphy won his first-ever Oscar, taking home the trophy for Best Actor for his performance in “Oppenheimer.”
People were, of course, quick to take to social media to comment about the bizarre announcement. The ceremony had presenters honor each nominee before unveiling the winner throughout the evening, so it was natural for viewers to wonder why Pacino chose not to.
“I realize being nominated is a huge milestone in one’s life and to not be fully recognized is offensive and hurtful,” Pacino said. “I say this as someone who profoundly relates with filmmakers, actors and producers so I deeply empathize with those who have been slighted by this oversight and it’s why I felt it necessary to make this statement.”
“Oppenheimer” won seven Oscars Sunday night, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. It also won for Best Film Editing and Best Cinematography. Ludwig Göransson also took home the Oscar for Best Original Score.
It was the first Oscar win for Murphy, Downey and Nolan.
The film earned a leading 13 nominations and has earned nearly $1 billion worldwide.
LOS ANGELES — All eyes were on “Oppenheimer,” directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt, at the Oscars on Sunday. The film dominated throughout awards season.
Now, it’s been named Best Picture at the 2024 Academy Awards.
The top prize of the night was presented by “The Godfather” star Al Pacino – who seemingly jumped the gun by announcing the winner before listing the nominees. But Pacino and his team say that was the plan all along.
Al Pacino presents the award for best picture during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
“There seems to be some controversy about my not mentioning every film by name last night before announcing the best picture award,” Pacino said in a statement. “I just want to be clear it was not my intention to omit them, rather a choice by the producers not to have them said again since they were highlighted individually throughout the ceremony.”
Rather than listing all 10 nominees while presenting the best picture Oscar, or offering an “And the Oscar goes to,” Pacino said “Here it comes” before slowly opening the envelope.
“And my eyes see ‘Oppenheimer,’” Pacino said, before the camera quickly panned to the winners in the audience.
Cillian Murphy won his first-ever Oscar, taking home the trophy for Best Actor for his performance in “Oppenheimer.”
People were, of course, quick to take to social media to comment about the bizarre announcement. The ceremony had presenters honor each nominee before unveiling the winner throughout the evening, so it was natural for viewers to wonder why Pacino chose not to.
“I realize being nominated is a huge milestone in one’s life and to not be fully recognized is offensive and hurtful,” Pacino said. “I say this as someone who profoundly relates with filmmakers, actors and producers so I deeply empathize with those who have been slighted by this oversight and it’s why I felt it necessary to make this statement.”
“Oppenheimer” won seven Oscars Sunday night, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. It also won for Best Film Editing and Best Cinematography. Ludwig Göransson also took home the Oscar for Best Original Score.
It was the first Oscar win for Murphy, Downey and Nolan.
The film earned a leading 13 nominations and has earned nearly $1 billion worldwide.
The Oscars are over and the winners are now on the books, but you’re still behind on watching?
No worries. Here’s a guide on where to watch Sunday’s triumphant, though nominees that missed out on a statuette are worthy, too. Think “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” “Rustin,” “Past Lives,” “Nyad” and more.
Also look for some of the short films that took home statuettes, including Wes Anderson’s “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.” It streams on Netflix and is widely available for digital purchase or rental. The documentary short winner, “The Last Repair Shop” streams on Disney+.
Christopher Nolan’s atomic opus “Oppenheimer” received widespread critical acclaim and broke box office records. It’s half the Barbenheimer phenom with “Barbie” from last July. The three-hour film, which is semi-trippy and flashback heavy, chronicles the trials and tribulations of the secret Manhattan Project’s J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy). Available for pay at YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu, iTunes, Google Play and elsewhere.
Think Frankenstein story, and his bride. Director Yorgos Lanthimos owes a debt to Emma Stone, his childlike and highly randy Bella, in “Poor Things.” The comedy is dark and the vibe Victorian fantasy. And did we mention the sex? How Bella handles that activity has been the talk of film circles. No spoilers here but rest assured her consciousness is raised. Also stars Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo. Available for purchase only on Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu and elsewhere.
Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” in the billion-dollar club at the box office, is a live-action musical comedy focused on the 64-year-old plastic doll in a range of iterations. It also took the globe by storm, culturally speaking. The film stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling (as Just Ken). Robbie plays Stereotypical Barbie, who experiences an existential crisis but lands on the road to self-discovery. Available for pay at iTunes, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Vudu and elsewhere.
Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut “American Fiction” is what satire should be: funny while succinctly pointing at truths. Jeffrey Wright plays a frustrated academic up against the wall of what Black books must be to sell. He takes action. The film is also about families and the weight of their struggles. Wright is joined by a great supporting cast in Leslie Uggams, Erika Alexander, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown and Tracee Ellis Ross. Available for pay at Prime Video, Apple TV+, Google Play, YouTube, Vudu and elsewhere.
“ANATOMY OF A FALL”
5 nominations, 1 win. Digital purchase or rental.
Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” took the Palme d’Or at the 76th Cannes Film Festival. It stars Sandra Hüller as a writer, Sandra, trying to prove her innocence in court in her husband’s death at their chalet in the French Alps. The verdict? We won’t tell. Did she or didn’t she? Triet wrote the film with her husband, Arthur Harari, and they shared in the film’s adapted screenplay win Sunday. Available for pay at iTunes, Prime Video, Google Play, Vudu, YouTube and elsewhere.
The Alexander Payne offering “The Holdovers” is set at Christmastime, but its themes of loneliness and belonging resonate well beyond the holiday, wrapped in a comedic package. Set in 1970 over the holiday break at a boarding school, there’s plenty of nostalgia in the details. It stars Paul Giamatti in curmudgeonly glory as the teacher stuck minding Angus (Dominic Sessa) and other students with no place to go. Da’Vine Joy Randolph delivers a standout — and Osar-winning — performance as a grieving school worker who spends the holidays at the school. Available for pay at iTunes, Prime Video, Google Play, Vudu and elsewhere.
“THE ZONE OF INTEREST”
5 nominations, 2 wins. In theaters. Digital purchase.
There’s another meaty role for Hüller in the Holocaust story “The Zone of Interest,” directed by Jonathan Glazer. She plays Hedwig, the wife of Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), the real-life, bloodthirsty commandant of Auschwitz. The action largely has Rudolf and Hedwig living their everyday family lives just a few steps from the ovens and trains that were instruments in the slaughter of millions of Jews. A story worth telling, considering their status as monsters? You decide. Available for pay on Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu and elsewhere.
A joint production by The Associated Press and PBS “Frontline,” the documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” has been met with critical acclaim and an audience award at the Sundance Film Festival. AP journalist Mstyslav Chernov directed the movie from 30 hours of footage shot in Mariupol in the opening days of the Ukraine war. Chernov and AP colleagues Evgeniy Maloletka, a photographer, and producer Vasilisa Stepanenko were the last international journalists in the city before escaping. Available for pay at Prime Video, Google Play, Vudu and elsewhere.
“THE BOY AND THE HERON”
1 nomination. 1 win. Digital purchase or rental.
Dreamy and enthralling, director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli do it again. Well. The beautifully animated Japanese fantasy “The Boy and the Heron” has young Mahito late in World War II mourning the death of his mother and encountering a talking and ornery gray heron he can’t get rid of. And there’s a very important tower. Available for pay on Apple TV.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
At the 96th Academy Awards, “Oppenheimer” led the charge with 13 nominations and seven wins, including best picture, while “Barbie” snagged a single award. Emma Stone’s win for best actress and Cillian Murphy’s in the best actor category highlighted the night.
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LOS ANGELES — All eyes were on “Oppenheimer,” directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt, at the Oscars on Sunday. The film dominated throughout awards season.
Now, it’s been named Best Picture at the 2024 Academy Awards.
The top prize of the night was presented by “The Godfather” star Al Pacino – who seemingly jumped the gun by announcing the winner before listing the nominees.
Al Pacino presents the award for best picture during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Rather than listing all 10 nominees while presenting the best picture Oscar, or offering an “And the Oscar goes to,” Pacino said “Here it comes” before slowly opening the envelope.
“And my eyes see ‘Oppenheimer,’” Pacino said, before the camera quickly panned to the winners in the audience.
“Oppenheimer” closed out the night with an Academy Award win in the Best Picture category during the 2024 Oscars.
People were, of course, quick to take to social media to comment about the bizarre announcement from Pacino but admitted it did make for a hilarious way to end the ceremony.
“Oppenheimer” won seven Oscars Sunday night, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. It also won for Best Film Editing and Best Cinematography. Ludwig Göransson also took home the Oscar for Best Original Score.
It was the first Oscar win for Murphy, Downey and Nolan.
The film earned a leading 13 nominations and has earned nearly $1 billion worldwide.
Now that all the Academy Awards have been handed out, it’s time to party!
Watch “Live With Kelly and Mark: After the Oscars,” live from the Oscars stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Monday at 9 a.m.
After enduring the pandemic and a pair of industry-stopping strikes, Hollywood seemed extra jazzed about celebrating itself at this year’s Oscars. While there weren’t a ton of genre movies on the ballot—truly, last year’s Everything Everywhere All at Once sweep still feels rather validating—a few did find their way to the podium.
What Should Fans Take Away from Imaginary?
Most notably it was Poor Things leading the charge for genre, including a Best Lead Actress win for Emma Stone for her portrayal of Bella Baxter—arguably only rivalled by Oppenheimer, which took home the trio of big wins in Best Lead Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture. Barbie, amid a sea of discourse after nominees were initially announced earlier this year about perceived snubs, home only one win for original song out of its slate of nominations. Here are all the winners (plus their fellow nominees) from the 2024 Academy Awards. And may we just say, if Best Visual Effects winnerGodzilla Minus One does get a sequel, we hope it makes it into more categories than its Best Picture-worthy predecessor.
Best Supporting Actor
Sterling K. Brown (American Fiction)
Robert De Niro (Killers of the Flower Moon)
Winner: Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer)
Ryan Gosling (Barbie)
Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things)
Best Supporting Actress
Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer)
Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple)
America Ferrera (Barbie)
Jodie Foster (Nyad)
Winner: Da’vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers)
Best Animated Feature Film
Winner: The Boy and the Heron
Elemental
Nimona
Robot Dreams
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Best Animated Short Film
“Letter to a Pig”
“Ninety-Five Senses”
“Our Uniform”
“Pachyderme”
Winner: “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko”
Best Costume Design
Barbie (Jacqueline Durran)
Killers of the Flower Moon (Jacqueline West)
Napoleon (David Crossman & Janty Yates)
Oppenheimer (Ellen Mirojnick)
Winner: Poor Things (Holly Waddington)
Best Live-Action Short
“The After”
“Invincible”
“Knight of Fortune”
“Red, White and Blue”
Winner: “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Golda
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Winner: Poor Things
Society of the Snow
Best Original Score
American Fiction (Laura Karpman)
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (John Williams)
Killers of the Flower Moon (Robbie Robertson)
Winner: Oppenheimer (Ludwig Göransson)
Poor Things (Jerskin Fendrix)
Best Sound
The Creator
Maestro
Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning
Oppenheimer
Winner: The Zone of Interest
Best Adapted Screenplay
Winner: American Fiction (Cord Jefferson)
Barbie (Noah Baumbach & Greta Gerwig)
Oppenheimer (Christopher Nolan)
Poor Things (Tony McNamara)
The Zone of Interest (Jonathan Glazer)
Best Original Screenplay
Winner: Anatomy of a Fall (Arthur Harari & Justine Triet)
The Holdovers (David Hemingson)
Maestro (Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer)
May December (Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik)
Past Lives (Celine Song)
Best Cinematography
El Conde (Edward Lachman)
Killers of the Flower Moon (Rodrigo Prieto)
Maestro (Matthew Libatique)
Winner: Oppenheimer (Hoyte van Hoytema)
Poor Things (Robbie Ryan)
Best Documentary Feature Film
Bobi Wine: The People’s President
The Eternal Memory
Four Daughters
To Kill a Tiger
Winner: 20 Days in Mariupol
Best Documentary Short Film
The ABCs of Book Banning
The Barber of Little Rock
Island in Between
Winner: The Last Repair Shop
Nai Nai & Wài Pó
Best Film Editing
Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Winner: Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Best International Feature Film
Io Capitano
Perfect Days
Society of the Snow
The Teacher’s Lounge
Winner: The Zone of Interest
Best Original Song
“The Fire Inside” (Flamin’ Hot)
“I’m Just Ken” (Barbie)
“It Never Went Away” (American Symphony)
“Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” (Killers of the Flower Moon)
Winner: “What Was I Made For” (Barbie)
Best Production Design
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Winner: Poor Things
Best Visual Effects
The Creator
Winner:Godzilla Minus One
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning, Part One
Napoleon
Best Lead Actor
Bradley Cooper (Maestro)
Colman Domingo (Rustin)
Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)
Winner: Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)
Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction)
Best Lead Actress
Annette Bening (Nyad)
Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon)
Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall)
Carey Mulligan (Maestro)
Emma Stone (Poor Things)
Best Director
Justine Triet (Anatomy of a Fall)
Martin Scorcese (Killers of the Flower Moon)
Winner: Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)
Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things)
Johanathan Glazer (Zone of Interest)
Best Picture
American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall
Barbie
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Winner: Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest
What did you think of this year’s winners? Any favorite moments from the ceremony? Share in the comments below!
Cillian Murphy wins Best Actor for role in ‘Oppenheimer’ marking his first Oscar win
Updated: 7:00 PM PDT Mar 10, 2024
Cillian Murphy has won Best Actor for his role in “Oppenheimer” at the 96th Oscars.Murphy played the titular role of Robert J. Oppenheimer, the creator of the atomic bomb. The film followed Oppenheimer’s life prior to, the creation of and after the detonation of the atomic bomb. This was one of Murphy’s best performances to date and secured him his first Oscar win.Murphy also won best actor at the Golden Globes, BAFTA Awards and SAG Awards for his performance, earning him a clean sweep throughout the 2023 awards season.
Cillian Murphy has won Best Actor for his role in “Oppenheimer” at the 96th Oscars.
Murphy played the titular role of Robert J. Oppenheimer, the creator of the atomic bomb. The film followed Oppenheimer’s life prior to, the creation of and after the detonation of the atomic bomb.
This was one of Murphy’s best performances to date and secured him his first Oscar win.
Murphy also won best actor at the Golden Globes, BAFTA Awards and SAG Awards for his performance, earning him a clean sweep throughout the 2023 awards season.
The 96th annual Academy Awards on Sunday will bring together nominees that include box office record-breakers, Hollywood veterans, newcomers and more than one epic drama as big players and even bigger films contend for prestigious recognition. The 2024 Oscar ballot promises to make for an interesting night. So, ahead of the show, entertainment industry experts shared their predictions for the outcomes of some of the top categories.
Who will win the Oscar for best picture?
“Oppenheimer” is the clear frontrunner to win the Oscar for best picture. Christopher Nolan’s epic historical drama about the nuclear physicist known as “the father of the atomic bomb” leads nominations at the Academy Awards this year, with 13 nods.
It has also already taken home every precursor prize at earlier awards shows this season — including in equivalent categories at the Critics Choice and Golden Globe Awards, as well from the Screen Actors Guild, Directors Guild, Producers Guild and British Academy — giving big hints as to how it will fare in Sunday’s best picture race.
“I think there would be a crazy upset if ‘Oppenheimer’ did not win, simply because it has swept,” said Lilliana Vazquez, a television presenter and lifestyle expert who previously hosted E! News. “That’s always a really big indicator, if all of the individual guilds can come together and anoint a clear winner, then I think you really have to watch out for that specific film, in whatever category, or that particular actor or actress.”
Films rarely earn such broad industry-wide support, and those that have typically go on to receive the Oscars’ top accolade, like “Argo” and “Slumdog Millionaire” in recent decades.
“I’m not sure if we’ve had an overwhelming favorite like ‘Oppenheimer’ in a while, but ‘Oppehnheimer’ really is the favorite to win best picture,” said Erik Davis, the managing editor at Fandango, who praised the film for its achievements on multiple fronts, including its narrative, cast performances, cinematography, editing and score.
“All of the parts of ‘Oppenheimer,’ when it’s assembled, help push it over the line for best picture, because it’s more than just an entertaining film,” Davis added. “Across the board, I think this film achieves at an Oscar-winning level.”
Vazquez echoed that sentiment.
“‘Oppenheimer,’ for me, is a lock,” she said. “I think it hits on so many different levels. That style of film, the script, the acting, is so good. Sometimes, you get these indie darling films and people are like, ‘I don’t understand it.’ This is a topic that everyone can connect to.”
“Oppenheimer” will contend for best picture alongside nine other films: “American Fiction,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Barbie,” “The Holdovers,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” “Past Lives,” “Poor Things” and “The Zone of Interest.”
Experts doubt any of those titles will manage to beat out Nolan’s movie, and they note that a loss for “Oppenheimer” in this category would probably be the shock of the night.
“I think it’s one of those versatile films that reached everyone. And, you know, we always gravitate towards historical dramas,” said Aramide Tinubu, a TV critic at Variety who is also betting on “Oppenheimer” to win. “As interesting as ‘The Holdovers’ was, and though it is kind of historically set, it’s a much quieter film. We love a good blockbuster here in America.”
But potential underdogs for the best picture prize could still include “The Holdovers,” Alexander Payne’s nostalgic crowd-pleaser, Justine Triet’s multilingual court drama “Anatomy of a Fall” or Yorgos Lanthimos’ offbeat sci-fi comedy “Poor Things,” which follows “Oppenheimer” with 11 Oscar nominations.
“The thing that’s most interesting about the race this year is, you can’t even tell what’s going to be runner-up,” said Joyce Eng, an entertainment journalist and senior editor at Gold Derby, an industry blog site that focuses on Hollywood awards predictions. Alongside Christopher Rosen, the site’s digital director, Eng co-hosts the podcast “Gold Derby Show,” where the two discuss and forecast awards season.
This image released by Universal Pictures shows actor Cillian Murphy in a scene from “Oppenheimer.”
Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures via AP
Rosen pointed out that the projected triumph by “Oppenheimer” in the best picture race is not only due to the fact that it has steamrolled through the awards circuit up to this point, but because it has all the makings of a winner. In addition to being a historical biopic, it was a critical hit and theatrical success, and both Eng and Rosen said the film’s early start as a supposed dark horse probably helped its popularity, too.
“I think it ran second a lot, at least over the summer, to ‘Barbie’ in terms of its box office and coverage. So, it had the sheen of an underdog even though it obviously wasn’t,” said Rosen, calling “Oppenheimer” a “perfect consensus movie on top of being the steamroller.”
“There’s been no fatigue with it being a frontrunner, either,” said Eng. “I think that’s key.”
Who will win the Oscar for best actor?
Similar to the race for best picture, experts are, for the most part, in agreement on the outcome of the best actor competition. Cillian Murphy, who starred as the namesake scientist in “Oppenheimer,” is favored to win this award, they said, owing to the huge success of the movie as well as Murphy’s previous wins at the SAG Awards and the BAFTAs — indicating strong support from industry members who overlap with the Oscars voting pool.
“It’s really hard to go against him [Murphy] with him having these two really important awards,” said Eng. “The only thing Cillian has lost in terms of televised award shows was the Critics Choice to Paul Giamatti, so I think that gave the impression that this race is closer than it might actually be.”
Eight out of the last 13 best actor prizes at the Academy Awards have gone to someone playing a real-life figure, Vazquez noted, adding that “people love a story that is rooted in reality.”
“Usually playing a real-life person is always a leg up, it seems, for best actor especially,” said Rosen. “And just the fact that ‘Oppenheimer’ is the best picture frontrunner … there’s really no reason why Cillian Murphy would ever have not won this. And the fact that he’s won the precursor awards really bears that out. So, I think it would be pretty surprising if he lost on Oscar night. Not unprecedented, obviously, but certainly surprising.”
Giamatti is nominated alongside Murphy in this category for his leading performance as an embittered boarding school teacher in “The Holdovers,” which has also won praise. Both veterans are first-time Oscar nominees for best actor, and, for Giamatti, the recognition came almost 20 years after what is remembered as an infamous snub in this category for his work in Payne’s 2004 comedy-drama “Sideways.”
That has led some to suggest that a best actor win by Giamatti is overdue, not to mention plausible, since he and Murphy won counterpart awards for comedic and dramatic acting at the Globes before arguably becoming each others’ greatest competition throughout the rest of awards season.
“Both men have won this award at various awards shows, so I think it’s definitely a two-man’s race in this category,” said Davis. “Cillian Murphy has come out on top a little bit more than Paul Giamatti, and I think that’s due to the fact that ‘Oppenheimer’ is a major frontrunner and due to all that it’s achieved this year.”
Also in the running for the Oscar for best actor are Bradley Cooper, for “Maestro;” Colman Domingo, for “Rustin;” and Jeffrey Wright, for “American Fiction.”
Who will win the Oscar for best actress?
How the best actress race will play out on Sunday has shaped up to be perhaps the most debated Oscar competition this year, with Lily Gladstone and Emma Stone pacing neck-and-neck for their respective performances in “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Poor Things,” each of which was heralded as the gem of those movies.
“Similar to the actor category, both of these performances are very different from one another,” said Davis. “Emma Stone’s is a more physical performance, a more physical transformation, very out-there, very animated … whereas Lily Gladstone’s performance is much quieter. It’s much more internal.”
Both women took home best actress awards at the Golden Globes, in separate categories for comedy and drama, before Stone went on to win at the Critics Choice Awards and the BAFTAs. Gladstone took the prize at the SAG Awards in a historic win, becoming the first indigenous actor to receive the award. She would also be the first Native American actor to receive the Oscar in this category if she wins.
Lily Gladstone poses with her Golden Globe award for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” on Jan. 7, 2024.
ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images
“I’m torn. I can’t call it between Lily Gladstone and Emma Stone,” said Tinubu. “I thought Lily would take it for a long time, but things have ramped up for Emma as well. I loved ‘Poor Things,’ that’s my film of the year, but I do think both women are very deserving. So that, to me, is a toss-up still.”
“Poor Things” was also Vazquez’s favorite film of 2023. She described Stone’s performance in it as “flawless” but still believes Gladstone will take the best actress prize.
“Would I love to see Emma Stone win another Oscar? One hundred percent,” said Vazquez. “Does she deserve another Oscar for this role? Yes, because the physicality of the role, matched with the emotion and also with the dialogue that she gives in the film is just insane. From that point of view, I would love to see her win it, if Lily Gladstone was not in this race.
“As a woman of color, seeing her be the first indigenous actress winner is incredible, for not just her community but for us as a country,” Vazquez continued. “And I think for her to shine the way that she did when she’s in a Scorsese film, and she’s sharing the screen with Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, that is power. That transcends.”
Overall, the competition is fierce in this category, as Gladstone and Stone contend for the title against Annette Bening, who’s nominated for “Nyad” along with Sandra Hüller, for “Anatomy of a Fall” and Carey Mulligan, for “Maestro.”
Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.
2023 was the year the world learned to pronounce Cillian. The ancient Irish name seemed to be on everyone’s lips as the film “Oppenheimer”became a blockbuster with 13 Oscar nominations — including best actor for Cillian Murphy. Murphy has worked nonstop for nearly 30 years, but it was the epic drama of the atomic bomb that ignited a star. In this moment, with a Golden Globe under his porkpie hat and the Oscars three weeks away, Murphy is more famous than well-known. So, we set out to learn more. We were warned the 47-year-old Irishman is reserved and wouldn’t talk about himself. But we discovered finding Cillian Murphy depends on where you look.
Ireland’s Dingle Peninsula was named for a goddess before such things were written. And for 6,000 years stories have passed by ear.
So, if verse inhabits every Irish soul—then, in a country pub, Cillian Murphy is among peers—as he would have it—just a man with a pint to lift and no fame to bear.
Scott Pelley: What is the meaning of Ireland –
Cillian Murphy: Oh man!
Scott Pelley: —to you?
Cillian Murphy and Scott Pelley
60 Minutes
Cillian Murphy: I don’t think I can answer that question satisfactorily. It’s defined who I am as a person and my values. It’s just home.
Home includes his wife of 20 years, two teenage sons and scout, a lab named for the character in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” That figures, Murphy has always let stories lead his path.
Cillian Murphy: You find so much empathy in novels, you know, because there you are putting yourself into somebody else’s point of view, and I’ve always been a big reader. When a movie can connect with someone, and they feel seen or feel heard, or a novel can change somebody’s life, or a piece of music– an album– can change someone’s life. And I’ve had all that happen to me. And that’s the power of good art, I think.
Scott Pelley: There’s a straight line from the music in the pub to “Oppenheimer?”
Cillian Murphy: I think they’re from the same source, I mean, I really do. I don’t see– I see it’s all on a continuum. You know what I mean? It’s just a form of expression.
Expression, in the eyes of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who created the atom bomb but never controlled it.
Cillian Murphy: I remember reading at the beginning about him, that he was more riddle than answer. And I thought, “Oh, OK. Wow. That’s interesting.”
Scott Pelley: I’m curious about your notes…
The riddle was in this script by writer-director Christopher Nolan—printed in red so it couldn’t be photocopied.
Cillian Murphy: I did genuinely think it’s one of the greatest screenplays I’d ever read.
Scott Pelley: And you told him, “I’ll do it.”
Cillian Murphy: I mean, I said I would do it before I read it. I always say that —
Scott Pelley: That’s quite a risk. Why would you do that?
Cillian Murphy: It’s always paid off for me, you know, in every film that I worked with him on.
The script for “Oppenheimer” was on red paper so that it couldn’t be photocopied.
60 Minutes
There have been six Chris Nolan films for Murphy: “Dunkirk,” “Inception” and three “Batman” titles.
Scott Pelley: You told me that getting a film made, and getting it seen, is a miracle.
Cillian Murphy: It is. And then if it’s any way good, that’s a miracle. And then if it connects with audiences, that’s a miracle. So, it’s a miracle, upon miracle, upon miracle to have a film like “Oppenheimer.” It really is.
His Oppenheimer was not so much a miracle as hard work. He lost 28 pounds to get the silhouette. Then, he rose to the character step-by-step over six months–reading, listening to Oppenheimer’s lectures and covering miles on the beach performing for Scout.
Cillian Murphy: I remember at one point, I said to Chris– “Chris, there appears to be– he appears to speak Dutch here. And I think he’s giving a lecture in Dutch here. What are we gonna do about that?” And Chris said, “You mean what are you gonna do about that.”
Murphy says he put all he learned in the back of his mind and acted on instinct.
Cillian Murphy: I think instinct is your most powerful tool that you have as an actor. Nothing must be predetermined. So therefore, you mustn’t have a plan about how you’re gonna play stuff. And I love that. It’s like being buffeted by the wind and being buffeted by emotion.
Emily Blunt plays Oppenheimer’s tormented wife.
Emily Blunt
60 Minutes
Emily Blunt: He’s very visceral to be in a scene with. It’s like you, he transports you. He’ll kidnap you in a scene.
Scott Pelley: My favorite acting moment, of his, in “Oppenheimer…”
Scott Pelley: –is the scene after the bomb has been dropped, and he’s addressing all of the people at Los Alamos.
Scott Pelley: He somehow welds together the concept of being proud of what they did–
Emily Blunt: Yes.
Scott Pelley: — and regretting it very deeply.
Emily Blunt: Yes. Yes.
Scott Pelley: All at the same time.
Emily Blunt: I know!
Emily Blunt: No one moment is about one thing. And if you’re as agile as someone like Cillian, and as vulnerable, and as clever, you can play it all. But I don’t know if many people can do what he does.
Cillian Murphy discovered agility in his hometown, Cork. His mother was a teacher, his father, a school inspector. In high school Murphy and his brother had a band …
Performing led to acting class and his first play.
Scott Pelley: This is more like the size of a storage room than a theater.
Cillian Murphy: Yeah. But that’s all we were used to.
His first theater—1996—age 20 –the play was “Disco Pigs,” which grew to bigger theaters and became a movie.
Scott Pelley: Why did you think you could be an actor?
Cillian Murphy: I didn’t. I was very comfortable on stage in front of an audience from when I was little. I never had any nerves doing that. It felt natural, you know? And thrilling.
Scott Pelley: In this theater, what did you learn about acting?
Cillian Murphy and Scott Pelley in a theater
60 Minutes
Cillian Murphy: There’s, ah, a fire escape door right there. And that’s– kind of an alleyway there, and so you get a lot of, like, drunk guys out of their mind bashing up against the fire escape door. And it used to kinda energize us. So I remember learning about, like, taking whatever you have– sort of responding to whatever the energy is in the room and using it.
Scott Pelley: That’s really good training, maintaining your character with the drunk guy yelling through the fire escape door.
Cillian Murphy: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I– and I– and I think theater is such– an absurd undertaking when you think of it. You know, because at any point it could collapse and go wrong.
Scott Pelley: It’s dangerous.
Cillian Murphy: Yeah! And I love that aspect of it. Yeah.
That love led him to drop law school. And since then, there have been a dozen plays and 40 movies.
Cillian Murphy: I love it when it becomes an immersive experience. I love getting lost in it. In the early days, that was with theater. It felt kind of extraordinary that with just the power of will and a couple of lights and a good script, we were creating this world. And so, it’s that’s kind of addictive, when it works well.
It worked well in 2013, in a breakout role as a leading man.
In the series, “Peaky Blinders,” Murphy plays Thomas Shelby who survives World War 1, to lead a family of gangsters.
Cillian Murphy: They’re all damaged, broken men, but something got knocked in him, and he came back with this incredible drive, and ambition and, like, “I’m not afraid of death, so now I can do whatever I want.”
Scott Pelley: In Tommy Shelby you created a sympathetic, relatable, monster.
Cillian Murphy: I like to be challenged. And I– and when I read something, I wanna go, “I don’t really know how I can do that.”
In 10 years of “Peaky Blinders,” Murphy came into his own.
Cillian Murphy: I heard very early on in my career, a director, it was one of the Sydneys, it could’ve been Sidney Lumet or it could’ve been Sydney Pollack, but one of them said, “It takes 30 years to make an actor.” It’s not just technique and experience and all that it’s maturing as a human being and trying to grapple with life and figure it out, and all of that stuff. So, by the time you’ve been doing it for 30 years, you have all of that banked, hopefully. And eventually, then I think you’ll get to a point where you might be an okay actor.
Maturing is the theme of Murphy’s next film based on the novel, “Small Things Like These.” He plays Bill Furlong, tormented by injustice. His wife fears his empathy will upend their lives.
That’s Eileen Walsh. No actor has known Murphy longer. She was his first partner, in “Disco Pigs,” 28 years ago.
Scott Pelley: Is his work ethic rooted in fear or joy?
Eileen Walsh
60 Minutes
Eileen Walsh: Oh, that’s a good question. I think it can only be joy. But it sometimes takes a lotta pain to get to that joy.
Eileen Walsh: The deeper we go with acting the cost is greater for us. And physically I know Oppenheimer, you know, has cost him for the weight loss he insisted and, you know, it was his choice to do, but it was the right choice to create that amazing silhouette. But from the very beginning our warm-ups for “Disco Pigs” involved us punching each other quite hard. And, like, going for it, and then bursting out into it. This huge ball of velocity coming into it was the beginning of an “Oppenheimer,” was the whole kind of atom of us.
Now, after three decades of work, Cillian Murphy is cast in the most familiar Irish legend of all. Maybe there is gold, a 24-karat gold-plated statue, at the end of his spectrum of talent.
Scott Pelley: You have screwed this up though, you know?
Cillian Murphy: In what way?
Scott Pelley: You used to be an actor
Cillian Murphy: Yeah.
Scott Pelley: –and now you’re a movie star.
Cillian Murphy: Oh OK, am I? I think you can be both. You know– I’ve never understood that term, really, “movie star.” I’ve always just felt like– I’m an actor. That’s I think a term for other people, rather than for me.
Produced by Nicole Young. Associate producer, Kristin Steve. Broadcast associate, Michelle Karim. Edited by Peter M. Berman and Jorge J. García.
The BAFTAs red carpet has begun. BAFTA via Getty Images
Awards season is in full swing, and after a flurry of ceremonies in Los Angeles, it’s time to head across the pond. Tonight (Feb. 18), the British Academy of Film and Television Arts will host their annual Film Awards, celebrating the best in cinema. Oppenheimer received the most BAFTA nominations (a staggering 13), with Poor Things coming in second (11 nods).
David Tennant is hosting the 2024 BAFTAs ceremony, held at Royal Festival Hall in London’s Southbank Centre. It’s always an exciting night, as A-listers flock to the British capital to fête the best and brightest in the film industry. The star-studded red carpet never fails to impress, as attendees go all out for the glamorous evening. Below, see all the most exciting moments from the 2024 BAFTAs red carpet,
Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer. Universal Pictures
From major Oscar nominees to a massive new Netflix series, this week boasts some exciting new titles across streaming. Action, thriller, musical and more—it’s all available to watch this week, so make the most out of your streaming subscriptions.
What to watch on Netflix
Warrior
A gripping historical crime drama that mixes martial arts with gangsters, Warrior is an excellent blend of genres that’s worth watching for its fight scenes alone. The show comes from a long lost pitch from the late Bruce Lee, and it’s brought to life by his daughter Shannon Lee and a dedicated team. The series takes place in 1870s San Francisco, where the burgeoning Chinatown sees brewing gang wars. Meanwhile, Chinese immigrants in the city are facing threats from a white establishment that’s growing increasingly hostile. All three seasons of Warriorwill begin streaming Friday, February 16th. Read Observer’s review.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
One of the most anticipated live-action television adaptations in recent memory, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a new fantastical adventure series based on the mid-’00s cartoon of the same name. The show takes place in a world where nations tied to the elements (water, earth, fire, and air) are at war. The Fire Nation is on a path of conquest, helped by those who can wield and bend the element, and only the mystical figure known as the Avatar (who can control all four elements) can stop it. The problem? The Avatar, Aang, is only a child, but he’s been hiding from his responsibilities for years. Avatar: The Last Airbenderpremieres Thursday, February 22nd.
Amy Schumer returns with Season 2 of Life & Beth, a dramedy about grappling with love, loss, and buried trauma. Schumer stars as Beth, a woman who ditched her fairly comfortable (but fairly boring) life to deal with the death of her mother and all of the feelings that it stirred up. Along the way, she discovered a charming farmer (Michael Cera) and decided to really try to live her life rather than just exist in it. Now, they’re a happy couple, but personal realizations and rushed proposals threaten to derail that relationship. Season 2 of Life & Bethpremieres Friday, February 16th.
What to watch on Amazon Prime
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have long been sources for middling movies, so it’s a good thing that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem finally realized the fun that could be had with these characters. The animated film takes the kind of creative visual swings that made the two Spider-Verse movies such hits, oozing with bright, clever animation. Mutant Mayhem follows the heroes in a half shell as they work to bust a mysterious mutant crime syndicate and get some good press (with the help of Ayo Edebiri’s April O’Neil) for mutants at large. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhemstreams Wednesday, February 21st.
What to watch on Max
The Color Purple
A new take on an American classic, The Color Purple puts Alice Walker’s riveting story of self-discovery and empowerment (and, more specifically, its Tony Award-winning Broadway musical adaptation) on the big screen. American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino stars as Celie, who suffers abuses of all kinds as she struggles to find her voice. The rest of the cast is overflowing with musical and acting talent, with Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Halle Bailey, and Ciara making up the sprawling ensemble. The Color Purplepremieres on streaming Friday, February 16th.
What to watch on Apple TV+
Constellation
From Invasion to For All Mankind, no platform loves a space show as much as Apple. Constellation is the newest space-set series from the streamer, though it leans a bit more into psychological thriller than sci-fi or drama. Noomi Rapace stars as Jo, an astronaut whose mission goes awry. When she returns to Earth, she discovers that key parts of her life are different, from an inexplicable new ability to play the piano to Jo’s altered relationship with her daughter. Jonathan Banks and James D’Arcy also star. The first three episodes of Constellation premiere Wednesday, February 21st.
What to watch on Peacock
Oppenheimer
The biggest addition to streaming this week comes in the form of one of 2023’s biggest and best movies. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer made a massive splash in theaters last summer, combining the director’s affinity for richly realized filmmaking and an intricate story about one of history’s most notorious figures. It’s a heavy favorite to walk away with plenty of Oscars come March 10th, given that it’s the most-nominated film of the year. With stellar performances from Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, and Robert Downey Jr., this period piece about the science and politics of war is near-perfect. Oppenheimerpremieres Friday, February 16th. Read Observer’s review.
What to Watchis a regular endorsement of movies and TV worth your streaming time.
It continues to be a busy winter for Cillian Murphy, having landed a best actor Oscar nomination for his $1 billion grosser Oppenheimer. Nonetheless, Murphy will be on hand at the Berlin Film Festival for the opening night premiere of his latest film, Small Things Like These.
Directed by Tim Mielants, the period drama is adapted from the novel of the same name by Irish writer Claire Keegan — who also wrote the source material for Colm Bairéad’s Oscar-nominated drama The Quiet Girl — and plays out in a small Irish town in 1985 in the weeks before Christmas. Murphy plays Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man who becomes aware of abuse happening at the local convent, abuse that forces him to confront the trauma of his own childhood and make a moral choice. The backdrop is the real history of the Magdalene Laundries, asylums and workhouses run by the Catholic Church in Ireland purportedly for the purpose of employing and educating “fallen women.”
Ahead of Berlin, Murphy talked to THR about producing Small Things Like These, shooting on location in many of the places portrayed in the novel, and an important lesson he learned from Christopher Nolan.
How did you discover Claire Keegan’s book, Small Things Like These?
Murphy I’m a fan of Claire Keegan as a writer, and I had read the book early. Then it stayed in my head for a long time, but then I thought I’d left it until too late and that the rights would be gone. I inquired about the rights and, miraculously, they were still available. I think there was a few people bidding, but, luckily, we got it. I immediately asked my friend and longtime collaborator [Irish playwright] Enda Walsh to write it. I know and trust him so well, and he knows that world and he loves Claire. Then a few things happened kind of coincidentally and very quickly. My producing partner, Alan Moloney, I brought it to him and he said, “OK, let’s do it.” Then I brought it to Matt Damon and he said, “Let’s do it.” At the time, they were just setting up their studio company [Artists Equity, the production shingle Damon formed with Ben Affleck]. It was serendipitous, in many ways.
What about the story made you think it could be due for a film adaptation?
On the page, it is a tiny, tiny story, but it’s grappling with these huge themes. I felt that we could make a beautiful, meditative film that was very atmospheric and emotional. It already had what most scripts really struggle with: a killer ending. That’s what I’m always looking for because scripts with a good third act are so hard to find. I also felt like the character was complex and difficult to play, because he said so little, but there was so much under the surface. I love that challenge. Also, for my country and where I’m from, we’re still dealing with the trauma of all of this. I always think that art can be more powerful than government papers, editorials or academic papers. Art can sometimes help with that healing in a more powerful way.
Why was it important to film on location in New Ross, where the book is set?
It felt to me that the town is like a character in the book. Once we got the rights and Enda was writing the script, we immediately went on a location scout in New Ross. It had never been used as a location before. It was just so beautiful, and so perfect. We could feel the energy of the novel as we walked in the streets. The second thing that I think is very important — and I’ve learned a lot from Chris Nolan about it — is the power of shooting and locations and not building sets. We didn’t build a single set on this film, every single location is real. We shot the exterior of the [Magdalene] Laundry that’s in the novel. That Furlong house is a tiny house we found on a terraced street. I feel like that changes the energy of the film, in terms of the aesthetic of it, but also for the actors and director. It’s not practical, because you’re trying to get a crew and cameras and lights into these tiny little spaces, but it does pay off, emotionally.
We did an awful lot of scouting for a long time. None of our locations have been used before in films. In Ireland, in any town or city, there are locations that show up all the time. Our production designer managed to find new versions of these things [in New Ross] that had never been filmed before. It was eerie and quite difficult sometimes, like [shooting] in those actual laundries. You can feel the energy, and you know what went down there. We were all very aware of that.
How was it filming in the community where the events of the book took place?
It couldn’t have been more helpful. They were also delighted that we were there. We cast a lot of the kids locally, we cast a lot of the background artists locally. All the counselors and the local politicians and everybody couldn’t have been more helpful in giving us access to the streets. We couldn’t have shot it anywhere else, because of all those deep streets and that river that runs through the town, with the spires everywhere and the presence of the Catholic Church, it’s almost like a garrison town. It’s everywhere you look.
The story reaches a fever pitch when Bill if forced to sit across from the head of the laundry, Sister Mary (played by Emily Watson), as she attempts to intimidate him into silence. How did you go about tackling that moment?
That was the centerpiece of the story, from Bill’s point of view. [Sister Mary] is this omnipresent character, but we don’t get to meet her until that point, and that was the biggest scene in the film. Most of the writing and the dialogue is so small and minimal, and we knew we had to have this big showdown in the middle. But, again, none of it is in the actual text, all the meaning is in the subtext and the silence. Emily Watson is one of my favorite actors in the world, and I thought, “Wouldn’t it just be a miracle if we could get her to play the part?” In that scene, she’s terrifying, and it follows the beats of a traditional Mafia intimidation scene, even the payoff at the end. But that was very true to the book. That’s how you intimidate a community.
Cillian Murphy and Tim Mielant on the set of ‘Small Things Like These’
Courtesy of FilmNation
Did you have time to rehearse before filming?
I’m not a big fan of rehearsals. It was quite nice being producer on this in that, in tandem with [director] Tim [Mielants], we could work out where we wanted to do this. Because we had a lot of kids in the movie and a lot of nonactors in the movie, it’s best to just save it for the set. Myself and Eileen Walsh, who plays my wife, we have been friends for 27 years. I did my first ever job with her. We didn’t really need to rehearse because Tim said when you put the camera on us, you could just feel the history between us because we’ve known each other that long. With our five daughters, we didn’t rehearse at all. We hung out with them and we made cakes together. But many times in their scenes, Tim just ran the camera, didn’t say “action.” They’re really just behaving naturally. I think that’s very important because for young actors, at times, it can be intimidating if you say “action” and “cut.” It really felt like a little family being in that tiny little kitchen and I’m really proud of how natural those things are. That’s because on the day, we didn’t overthink it.
The story is a period drama, set in 1985. How did you and the filmmakers go about portraying that time in Ireland?
When you read the book, you think this could be the ’50s. It only occasionally gives you some of this political kind of context of the time, so we never wanted to put up a title saying it’s 1985. You hear it sometimes in the soundtrack or you hear [Irish politician Ian] Paisley on the radio very, very subtly in the background. We did want to make it so that you were in this last moment [of a certain] time in Ireland. In between the ’50s and the ’80s, there wasn’t a huge amount of progression, socially. We wanted to keep it like that. Equally with the flashbacks, [Bill’s] memories, we never wanted to shoot them in a sepia tone, or say, “This is 1955.” We wanted to make it as much part of the fabric of the film and his character as possible. It means that the audience has to do a little bit of work to figure out what’s going on, but once the pattern is established, it’s very, very clear. I’ve always believed that the audiences are super smart. They like a little bit of work, and they like to be asked to keep up.
This film is about a specific place and time in Ireland. What do you hope non-Irish audiences take from the story?
There’s a wonderful universality in this story, mostly because of the specificity of it. We’ve shown this movie in Los Angeles, in the U.K., in Ireland, and our audiences have all responded to it on a very deep emotional level. That’s exactly what we wanted to achieve.
“In the middle of our sex scene, the camera broke,” Pugh shared. “No one knows this, but it did. Our camera broke when we were both naked, and it was not ideal timing.”
Pugh played Jean Tatlock in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, who was in a relationship with Murphy’s titular protagonist before and during his marriage to Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, played by Emily Blunt.
“Cillian and I are in this room together. It’s a closed set, so we’re both holding our bodies like this,” Pugh continued, wrapping her arms around herself.
The actress added that when someone arrived to fix the camera, she figured, “this is my moment to learn,” and asked the camera surgeon: “So tell me, what’s wrong with this camera?”
“You just make your moments,” Pugh told the crowd as they laughed at the anecdote. “I’m like, ‘What’s going on with the shutter here, buddy?’”
The actress went on to compliment Nolan’s full production team, saying that “every person on this set was so knowledgeable and was so ready to make this kind of movie that there was no dull moment. It was all amazing. It felt like we were lucky to be there every second of the day.”
Oppenheimerreceived 13 Oscar nominations on Tuesday, the most of any film. Among the nods are nominations for best picture, best actor (Murphy), best director (Nolan) and best supporting actress (Blunt) and actor (Robert Downey Jr.).
