Cillian Murphy is an Irish film and theatre actor. He is often noted by critics for his chameleonic performances in diverse roles and his distinctive blue eyes.

A native of Cork, Murphy began his performing career as a rock musician. After turning down a record deal, he made his professional acting debut in the play Disco Pigs, in 1996. He went on to star in Irish and British film and stage productions throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, first coming to international attention in 2003 as the hero in the post-apocalyptic film 28 Days Later. Murphy"s best-known roles are his part in the 2010 blockbuster Inception and as villains in two 2005 blockbusters: the Scarecrow in the superhero film Batman Begins (a role later reprised as cameos in The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises), and Jackson Rippner in the thriller Red Eye.