Cillian Murphy wins his first Oscar as Best Actor for Oppenheimer

Cillian Murphy won his inaugural Oscar for his portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer, renowned as the "father of the atomic bomb".He secured his debut Oscar for his depiction of the individual behind the creation of the atomic bomb in Christopher Nolan's hit biopic, "Oppenheimer."

In his first nomination, Murphy clinched the Best Actor award for his remarkable portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer. The film narrates the events surrounding Oppenheimer and his colleagues at Los Alamos as they conducted the historic test of the atomic bomb on July 16, 1945, with uncertain anticipation and the consequential aftermath.

Murphy outshone contenders like Colman Domingo for "Rustin," Bradley Cooper for "Maestro," Paul Giamatti for "The Holdovers," and Jeffrey Wright for "American Fiction." Despite being a recurring face in Nolan's films for nearly two decades, the Irish actor had predominantly assumed supporting roles. However, Nolan entrusted him with a leading role this time around.

Murphy firmly understands which roles suit him and which do not. "I've consistently expressed to Chris, both publicly and privately, that if I'm free and he wants me, I'm onboard for any film, regardless of the role's significance," he stated last year. "Yet, inwardly, I harbored a silent longing to headline one of his projects."

Entering the Academy Awards, Murphy was a formidable contender, having amassed multiple precursor wins for Best Actor at prestigious ceremonies such as the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and BAFTA Film Awards.