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He is one of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood and has starred in everything from Peaky Blinders to Oppenheimer.
But despite his steady rise to global fame in recent years, Cillian Murphy, 47, has managed to maintain a low-key family life, thanks in part to the unwavering support of his wife Yvonne McGuiness, 51.
Appearing on Desert Island Discs, which aired on BBC Radio 4 yesterday, the actor, 47, said his wife has been “crucial” in helping him adapt to Hollywood.
Speaking to presenter Lauren Laverne, Cillian explained how he found the “ancillary aspect” of being an actor, such as walking red carpets, “quite challenging”.
Gushing about his wife, he continued: ‘Having a really secure and solid foundation is important.
Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuiness arrived at the Golden Globes last month, where the A-Lister won Best Actor.
‘You have to have that safe place. I certainly do. It is like an island of comfort and tranquility.”
He told Lauren Laverne: “Honestly, it’s been crucial. I don’t think she would have been able to do any of the things we’ve talked about without having them.
“It’s been the most important thing for me, having those children and raising them.”
The couple, who have made a point of avoiding the spotlight, have been together for more than 28 years and share two children.
Here FEMAIL takes a look at one of Hollywood’s most successful love stories and how Yvonne has supported Cillian from the sidelines every step of the way.
First date
Cillian and Yvonne first met in the 1990s when he was starring in a play called Disco Pigs, which is about two Irish teenagers and was later adapted into a film.
After a successful run in Dublin, the play moved to Edinburgh, London, Australia and the United States, which is how Irish musician Yvonne McGuinness became involved.
speaking to The Guardian In 2016, the actor, whose parents were teachers, said: “That time when I did Disco Pigs was the most important period of my life.” The people I met there are still my closest friends.
Cillian Murphy in a promotional image for the 2002 film Disco Pigs, which was adapted from a play in which he starred.
‘They shaped me in terms of my tastes, in terms of what I wanted to do with my life. And it was around the same time I met my wife.
‘She came on tour with us. “It was very exciting, 20 years ago or whatever, we were all kids trying to find our way, but it was a very, very special moment.”
Yvonne grew up in Kilkenny, Ireland, and studied at Cork Institute of Technology. In 2001, the couple are said to have moved to London so Yvonne could study for her master’s degree at the Royal College of Art.
Yvonne’s uncle is the Irish politician Jim McGuinness and her grandfather Michael McGuinness was also reportedly Kilkenny’s longest serving councillor, from 1959 to 1999.
Secret wedding and becoming parents.
The couple married in 2004 and reportedly held the ceremony at Yvonne’s father’s vineyard in France.
However, the couple has never publicly commented on this rumor or acknowledged where their wedding took place.
Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness photographed with their son Malachy in Brooklyn, New York, in July 2006.
The following year, the couple welcomed their first child, Malachy, followed by Aran in 2007.
Although the family was living in London at the time, Cillian and Yvonne decided to return to Dublin to raise their young family.
He told The Guardian: ‘I guess we wanted them to be Irish. It’s amazing how quickly their accents have adapted.’
In 2005, Cillian also ruled out any chance of him moving to the US to work and praised Yvonne for her continued support.
He said people magazine: ‘I don’t need to live in Los Angeles. I would be tremendously far from my family, I would never see them.’
Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness photographed during a trip to New York City in August 2016.
Describing how Yvonne held him steady as his career took off, Cillian said: “It’s so important to have someone like that.
“My life hasn’t changed at all, really. I still have the same friends and we go to the same places.’
In 2016, Cillian explained how he moved to Liverpool to film Peaky Blinders while his wife stayed at home with their two children.
When he returned to the family home after filming seasons, Cillian joked that it takes him some time to change his on-screen persona.
He explained: ‘My wife can see what’s happening. “It’s okay. Tommy is slowly leaving. I’m going to get Cillian back.”
In an interview with GQ In 2019, Cillian gushed: ‘I couldn’t do this without (my wife) and her understanding. But it is a struggle.
The couple have two sons together, Malachy, 17, and Aran, 16. Pictured: The family in Dublin in 2014.
“I think it’s for any parent whose job alienates them, which usually happens, and consumes them, that my job does.”
He added: “I make sure I try not to go from job to job to job, because that means you live in a bubble of set, hotel, set, hotel, plane, film festivals, which, for me, is not reality “. . So she just left it for six months out of the year.
Cillian and his family now live in Dublin after he reportedly spent nearly £1.7million on a Victorian house.
The four-storey house, originally built in 1863, is located in Monkstown, south County Dublin, and has six double bedrooms and four reception rooms.
Yvonne’s artistic career.
While Cillian’s career has skyrocketed over the past two decades, Yvonne has also created short films and other experimental works of art.
During an interview with The Guardian, Cillian joked that it takes him some time to shake off his Peaky Blinders on-screen character.
The mother-of-two’s bio on her website reads: “She has an interest in the embodied experience of place and belonging through the staging of live public interventions and performances that create surreal and dynamic moments of interaction and connection with the place, time and communities.’
Last summer, Cillian revealed that it was Yvonne’s idea to adapt Claire Keegan’s novel Small Things Like These into a film.
speaking to The Guardian In another interview, Cillian recalled telling him: ‘No, there’s no way (the rights would be available). That will already be gone.’
To his delight, Cillian’s agent told him that the rights to the book had not been purchased, prompting him to pitch the idea to Matt Damon, who has his own studio.
Uncommon PDA at the Golden Globes
When Cillian Murphy won Best Actor at the Golden Globes in January, his wife Yvonne jumped up and kissed him on the mouth, leaving a smear of red lipstick on him.
Earlier this year, Cillian Murphy won Best Actor for his role in Oppenheimer at the Golden Globes.
After her victory was announced, Yvonne jumped out of her seat and gave her husband a quick kiss, prompting him to joke about the red lipstick on her mouth during her speech.
During his acceptance speech, Cillian called himself “the luckiest man” while speaking directly to his wife and children.
“To my family, I’m the luckiest man and I love them,” he said.
Last week, the actor paid tribute to Yvonne and her children while being honored with the Desert Palm Achievement Award at the Palm Springs International Film Awards.
He said: ‘Two-thirds of them are sitting there. We had to leave one of them at home doing exams.
‘But just thank you for putting up with me, putting up with half of me, the shadow and the absent self, the remains of me when I make a movie like this or work in general. You’re always there. I love it. So thank you guys.’
Cillian’s loving tribute to Yvonne
During his appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, Cillian admitted he has “struggled” with walking red carpets in the past.
He added: “It’s still not something I feel totally comfortable with.” You have to choose to enjoy it and I think you can do that in your brain. Just make that modification and then it will be easier.’
However, he went on to say that having Yvonne with him this year made it easier.
He added: “I’ve had my wife and kids with me and it’s been wonderful.” You’d be an idiot if you didn’t enjoy it. Keep going, that’s my attitude.’
Elsewhere, Cillian paid loving tribute to his wife and their life together.
He told Lauren Laverne: “Honestly, it’s been crucial. I don’t think she would have been able to do any of the things we’ve talked about without having them.
‘I have been with my wife for 28 years. It’s been the most important thing for me, having those children and raising them.’
The A-list actor went on to say that having a “solid, secure base” has been really important to him and serves as a “safe place” amid the madness of fame.
During the interview, Cillian also admitted that he was “relieved” that the BBC drama had ended in 2002, but is now “totally” on board with a film adaptation.
Murphy also hinted that the show’s writer, Steven Knight, had more stories to tell about the Birmingham-based Shelby clan and their criminal activities between the 1880s and 1910s.
He explained: “I’ve always said that if Knight delivers a script that I know he can deliver, because he’s a phenomenal writer, I’ll be there. If we want to see 50-year-old Tommy Shelby, let’s do it.”