Cillian Murphy's latest role as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" has garnered significant buzz and critical acclaim, with some predicting that his intimate, complex portrayal of the man behind the atomic bomb will earn him an Oscar nomination. Though Murphy is undoubtedly brilliant in the biographical epic, the Irish actor has had over 25 years of preparation for the role through a number of projects in film, TV, and theater.

Murphy, like many actors, began his acting career on stage. In 1996, he made his stage debut in Enda Walsh's play "Disco Pigs," which was later adapted into a feature film starring Murphy in 2001. By the early 2000s, the actor took on several roles, but his role as Jim in the post-apocalyptic horror film "28 Days Later" propelled him into Hollywood. In 2005, he starred in "Batman Begins" and began what would become a decades-long collaborative friendship with Christopher Nolan.