KLARA AND THE SON
Cillian Murphy’s teenage boy lands major sci-fi role
CILLIAN Murphy’s lookalike son Aran has been tipped for Hollywood success as he is set to make his film debut in Taika Waititi’s Klara And The Sun.
The 16-year-old has landed a role in the Thor director’s new movie which is an adaptation of the New York Times best-seller by Kazuo Ishiguro.
The teenager will join Wednesday actress Jenna Ortega, 21, and Amy Adams, 47, in the A-list cast.
Aran joined his mother Yvonne McGuinness and father Cillian as his dad won Best Actor at the Golden Globes for Oppenheimer, after getting the leading role following his supporting roles in five of director Christopher Nolan’s films.
And while it has taken years for the Peaky Blinders actor to have his big Hollywood moment, his son, aged just 16, will make his feature film debut, playing a character named Rick, who is a best friend and neighbour of Josie (played by Mia Tharia).
The dystopian science fiction book has been adapted for film by screenwriter Dahvi Waller.
Wednesday actress Ortega stars as leading lady Klara, who is a solar-powered Artificial Friend designed to prevent loneliness who is chosen by Josie, a sickly child, to be her companion.
Klara embarks on a quest to save Josie and those who love her from heartbreak.
Aran, who made a rare appearance at the Golden Globes, has followed in his father’s footsteps by pursuing an acting career, with roles in the film Lola and in a stage production of Hamnet.
Eldest son, Malachy, 18, has shown an interest in music, a passion Cillian has encouraged. During his Best Actor acceptance speech at the Globes, Cillian dubbed himself ‘the luckiest man’ as he spoke directly to his wife and children.
‘To my family, I’m the luckiest man and I love you,’ he said.
Earlier this week, Cillian said the level of talent coming out of Ireland was ‘extraordinary’. In a spectacular turnout for Irish talent at January’s Golden Globes, Mr Murphy (Oppenheimer), Barry Keoghan (Saltburn) and Andrew Scott (All Of Us Strangers) represented half of the six nominees for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. Mr Murphy was the eventual winner for his turn as the eponymous nuclear physicist in Christopher Nolan’s historical epic. Mr Murphy and Mr Keoghan are among the Best Actor nominees for this month’s Bafta Awards in the UK while their fellow Irish actor Paul Mescal is shortlisted for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in All of Us Strangers.
The Irish production Poor Things has 11 nominations for both the Baftas and the Oscars – a record for an Irish film – and Mr Murphy is also Oscar-nominated for his work on Oppenheimer.
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Murphy reflected on the incredible amount of success coming out of Ireland in the arts, saying: ‘It is kind of phenomenal, the level of talent that the country is producing. For, like, five million people, it’s kind of extraordinary.
‘I think part of it is coincidence,
‘I’m the luckiest man alive’ ‘Irish people tell stories very well’
and I think part of it is that Irish people tell stories very well, just in the pub to each other.’
The 47-year-old Cork native told the BBC that he tries not to let the awards season buzz affect his performances.
He said: ‘I genuinely don’t think about that,’ he said. ‘It’s kind of wasted energy. I just feel so thrilled and humbled to be [mentioned] in the same breath as all those wonderful actors.’
The Baftas take place in London on Sunday, February 18. The Oscars take place in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 10.