The last time an actor born in Ireland claimed the prestigious Oscar award was back in 1990, a triumph by both Brenda Fricker and Daniel Day-Lewis for their roles in My Left Foot. Day-Lewis, although born in England, now resides in Ireland and has since won two more Oscars. He discussed the grand celebration that would follow in Dublin after their win.
Fast forward nearly 35 years, Irish actor Cillian Murphy is posited as a frontrunner for the best actor trophy at the Oscars for his impressive portrayal of J Robert Oppenheimer, the man behind the atomic bomb, in the film Oppenheimer. This movie also leads the race for the best picture award.
After grabbing the best actor award at both the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards and Golden Globe awards recently, Murphy took an Aer Lingus flight to Los Angeles, renowned for being a good omen for Oscar predictions.
While much of the spotlight from Ireland will be on Murphy during the upcoming Oscar event, another Irish talent is evident in the film Poor Things. With 11 nominations, it takes second place to Oppenheimer. Poor Things portrays the unusual story of a woman who post-suicide receives her unborn child’s brain. The film, produced by Element Pictures, was mainly filmed in Budapest, Hungary, on vast, specially designed sets to depict the 19th century landscape.
This marks the third Oscar nomination for producers Andrew Lowe and Ed Guiney, who previously received nods for Room (2015) and The Favourite (2019). On this occasion, Lowe is bringing his family to the Oscar event for the first time.
Boasting a cast including Emma Stone, Poor Things has done well at the box office, surpassing the earnings of $100 million (€90 million) during the last weekend. Andrew Lowe revealed that both he and Guiney were the key producers, with the entire production being managed from Ireland. Paul Heffernan and Mark Byrne handled the production and business affairs respectively.
The entire film production was headquartered in Ireland, marking a significant advancement for the team. The aim was to provide Yorgos Lanthimos, the film’s director, with the most skilled team possible. A group of 10 workers from Element, alongside several post-production staff, will journey to Los Angeles to partake in the annual Oscar Wilde Awards this Thursday. This event, taking place at the Bad Robot in Santa Monica, is a customary gathering spot for the Irish community throughout the Oscars week.
Additionally, Robbie Ryan, Ireland’s third Oscar contender who is based in London, has been nominated for best cinematography for his work on ‘Poor Things’. This is Ryan’s second nomination, having been previously acknowledged in 2019 for ‘The Favourite’. Many of his family members, including his sister Gillie O’Loughlin and brother Dave Ryan, are also planning to travel to Los Angeles for the Oscars.
Despite the excitement surrounding the event, Ryan admits feeling nervous for his family but remains passionate about his work, stating, “I just wanted to be on film sets. It is such a joy to this job.” Ryan’s parents were initially doubtful of his career choice, but he insists that hard work always pays off, saying, “It doesn’t feel like work for me.” For continuous updates, news, and analysis, The Irish Times can be found on WhatsApp, or sign up for push alerts for the latest news delivered straight to your phone. For in-depth political insight, tune in to our Inside Politics Podcast.