Cillian Murphy's Bafta win one of a number of historic firsts

Cork's Cillian Murphy, who played the title role of J Robert Oppenheimer – the American physicist who helped develop the atomic bomb, was named best actor at the Baftas at the weekend becoming the first-ever Irish winner of this award.

This year’s Bafta film awards delivered a string of historic firsts.

Robert Downey Jr set a new record for the longest gap between wins by an actor.

His award for best supporting actor, for his role as Lewis Strauss in the biographical drama Oppenheimer, came 31 years after his previous Bafta in 1993, for the film Chaplin.

The previous record was 27 years, set by Sir Anthony Hopkins in 2021 when he won the award for best actor for The Father, nearly three decades after his 1994 win for Shadowlands.

History was also made with the award for best animation, which went to The Boy And The Heron – the first time a Japanese film has won this category.

Filmmaker Christopher Nolan was named best director for Oppenheimer.

It was the third time he was nominated for the award. 

He was first nominated for a Bafta back in 2011, for the film Inception, but failed to win.

The same happened in 2018, when he was nominated for Dunkirk, but again walked away with nothing.

This year he finally triumphed. 

Oppenheimer’s total number of Bafta wins, seven, was just two short of equalling the all-time record of nine, set by Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid in 1971.

Both Oppenheimer (13 nominations) and Poor Things (11) had a chance to equal or beat this record. 

Oppenheimer scooped seven awards with Poor Things gaining five. 

'Oh boy, holy moly, thank you'

Accepting the trophy on Sunday night, Murphy said: “Oh boy, holy moly, thank you very, very much Bafta.” 

He paid tribute to “the most dynamic, kindest producer-director partnership in Hollywood: Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas, thank you for seeing something in me that I probably didn’t see in myself.” 

The Irish actor said to Nolan: “Thank for always pushing me and demanding excellence because that is what you deliver time and time again.”

 He also acknowledged his “fellow nominees and my Oppenhomies”, adding: “I know it’s a cliche to say, but I’m in awe of you.” 

He said J Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb, was a “colossally knotty character”, adding: “We have a space to debate and interrogate and investigate that complexity and it’s a privilege to be a part of this community with you all.”

Murphy was immediately touted as a potential Oscar winner for his performance as the conflicted theoretical physicist, and he has said of the man he played: “We’re all living in Oppenheimer’s world now. We’re all living in the nuclear age that he created.” 

He has since won a Golden Globe and a Critics’ Choice award and is nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award and an Oscar.

Murphy’s only other film Bafta nomination was in 2007 when he was included in the rising star category.

'Really, really proud Irishman'

Speaking backstage after collecting his prize, he said he was a “really, really proud Irishman”.

He added: “I have to say that, of course. And it means a lot to me to be Irish.” He joked: “I don’t know what else to say. Should I sing a rebel song?” Reflecting on his win, the actor added: “It’s a little overwhelming… it’s kind of mind-blowing.

“I’m thrilled and a little shocked.”