Cillian Murphy reveals the film from his back catalogue he ‘doesn’t think is good’

Oscar-nominated actor starred opposite Rachel McAdams in the 2005 movie ‘Red Eye’

Cillian Murphy has reflected on his acting career, revealing which of his past movies he’s not so fond of.

The Oppenheimer actor, 47, has starred in numerous blockbuster movies, including Inception, A Quiet Place Part II and Dunkirk.

In a new interview with GQ, Murphy was asked about one of his lesser-seen roles, 2005’s Red Eye, in which he played charismatic assassin Jackson Rippner opposite Rachel McAdams.

“I love Rachel McAdams and we had fun making it,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s a good movie. It’s a good B movie.”

Explaining why he chose to join the project, the Irishman said: “I think it’s the duality of it. It’s why I wanted to play it. That two thing. The nice guy and the bad guy in one.

“The only reason it appealed to me is you could do that. That turn, you know?”

Director Wes Craven’s movie saw Murphy’s Jackson kidnap the father (Brian Cox) of a hotel manager (McAdams) in order to get the latter to assist him in his mission to assassinate the head of Homeland Security.

Cillian Murphy (Getty Images for DGA)

Also speaking to GQ about filming Red Eye, McAdams fondly recalled working alongside Murphy.

“They say the nicest people sometimes make the best villains,” she said. “We’d listen to music and gab away while doing the crossword puzzle, which he brought every day and would graciously let me chime in on... I think the number one question I got about Cillian way back then was whether or not he wore contact lenses.”

Murphy has previously shared his opinion of the movie, calling it “schlocky” in a 2021 interview with Uproxx.

“When I was a younger actor, I was really, really hard on everything that I was in. I hated watching myself. I hated looking at myself on screen. I remember when I saw it was like, ‘Oh, that’s kind of a schlocky B movie.’ Rachel McAdams is excellent in it,” he said at the time.

“But I didn’t think I gave a very nuanced performance in it. But, listen, if people love the movie then that’s great. I’m pleased with that. I’m less hard on myself now when I look at stuff. I’m less hypercritical of my work. But that’s probably a hangover from that to be honest.”

Murphy’s latest role as physicist J Robert Oppenheimer – who led the development of the world’s first nuclear bomb – in Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-nominated Oppenheimer has earnt him a Best Actor nomination at the 2024 Academy Awards.