Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of a “claustrophobic” moment in a popular movie was “real”, thanks to a controversial trick by the film’s director.
Murphy – who is celebrating his 49th birthday today (Sunday, May 25) – is renowned for his diverse acting credentials, including his chilling role in the 2007 sci-fi thriller, Sunshine.
Nearly two decades prior to clinching the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the Hollywood hit Oppenheimer, Murphy seemingly experienced real claustrophobia while filming one of Sunshine’s most pivotal scenes.
Danny Boyle, the visionary director, divulged during the film’s commentary that he deployed unconventional tactics on-set to elicit Murphy’s sense of discomfort.
Despite the film’s modest box office performance, it enjoyed critical acclaim and audience approval upon its release. Even years after, cinephiles continue to admire Murphy’s commitment to his craft.
A discussion on the r/MovieDetails subreddit brought up what fans deem one of the movie’s standout scenes. In a clip from the film, Murphy could be seen wearing a large, golden space suit, prostrate on the ground.
There, the fascinating behind-the-scenes fact was unveiled: “In the scene where Cillian Murphy falls and can’t get up, the director had a crew member sit on the rig without Cillian’s knowledge which gave us the claustrophobic reaction you see.”
Danny Boyle verified in the director’s commentary that his crew did indeed exert pressure onto Murphy’s gold suit to provoke the ‘fantastic’ response captured on film and featured in the final edit.
The scene, has garnered praise from fans, but not everyone is thrilled about Boyle’s methods.
One person said: “I hate when directors do this s**t for a ‘genuine reaction.'” They added that a skilled actor like Murphy could have easily acted out the scene without needing to be subjected to a distressing experience.
Murphy and Boyle have previously collaborated on 28 Days Later, a franchise that the Oppenheimer star is set to revisit in the future.
Nevertheless, some viewers remained sceptical about the method used.
One said: “Apparently this is a genuine reaction from an actor who feels like he can’t get up, but that is in the script that he’s stuck and somehow he can’t differentiate between real life and acting at that moment?”
They argued that any actor would simply address the camera and request assistance if they were truly struggling.
Despite this, Murphy’s performance received widespread acclaim, with fans unanimously agreeing that he was an excellent choice for the lead role.
One user praised his acting, saying: “Cillian is at peak performance in this movie. So underrated. Him and this film.”
Another fan added: “Unpopular opinion; this is cool and all to get that genuine reaction but I don’t like the practice of directors doing things without informing the actors.
“Starts off with little things like this and things popping out of bodies and snowballs into them having people hold a door that’s supposed to open in a underwater scene.”