Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby on Peaky Blinders won him a legion of die-hard fans over the show’s nine-year run. While the Shelby family’s antics were a wild ride, filled with drama and chaos, the actor himself is a picture of calmness. Murphy made headlines with one of the biggest movies of 2023, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Despite his fame, the Academy-nominated actor has managed to keep his personal life on the down-low and his family out of the public eye. But every now and then, he lets something slip.

With Murphy’s star power reaching new heights, the curiosity about his personal life is also through the roof. And there are some aspects that might just come as a surprise to everyone.

Who is Cillian Murphy’s wife? 

Cillian Murphy and his wife, Yvonne McGuinness, live a rather low-profile lifestyle. McGuinness is a visual artist, popular for her creative art installations. Originally from Kilkenny, Ireland, McGuinness is a classically trained artist with a master’s degree from the Royal College of Art in London. Her artistic repertoire spans various mediums, including film, performance, sculpture, textiles, sound, and writing, often showcased through live, public interventions and performances, as outlined on her website.

Murphy’s acting career took off in the late 1990s with a role in a play called Disco Pigs. The play was a massive success, touring in Dublin, London, and worldwide for 18 months. It was during this period that Murphy and McGuinness first crossed paths, with the latter joining him for much of the tour. Their love story has flourished ever since, and everyone got a glimpse of their affection at the Golden Globes when Murphy proudly displayed a lipstick mark on his nose from his wife.

McGuinness and Murphy exchanged vows in 2004 and later became proud parents of two sons.

Cillian Murphy’s children: Malachy and Aran

Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness are parents to two children. Their eldest, Malachy, was born in 2005, followed by Aran in 2007. While details about Malachy’s current endeavors are very scarce, as his father prefers to maintain their family’s privacy, Aran has pursued acting, following in his father’s footsteps. His IMDb profile shows that Aran snagged a role in the 2022 movie Lola.

A couple of years later, he secured a role alongside Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams in Klara and the Sun. Before that, Aran involved himself in stage productions. This included a performance as Shakespeare’s son in Hamnet. In a 2016 interview with The Guardian, the actor shared the reasons behind his and McGuinness’ decision to leave London and relocate to Ireland to raise their sons.

Things Cillian Murphy did to support his family

While juggling work and family can be tough for many celebrities, Murphy proves that it can be done. He deliberately keeps his distance from the Hollywood lifestyle and expresses the importance of his family in his life. During McGuinness’s pregnancy with Malachy, Murphy was filming the 2006 war drama The Wind that Shakes the Barley. Reflecting on the experience, the actor revealed to The Guardian that it was one of his most cherished acting experiences, simply because it allowed him to be close to McGuinness.

As Peaky Blinders concluded its sixth and final season in 2022, Murphy found solace in returning to a semblance of normalcy at his home in Ireland. His family relocated from London to Dublin in 2015 as both Murphy and McGuinness were keen for their sons to be closer to their grandparents. Murphy’s deliberate choice to reside in Ireland, away from the bustling Hollywood scene, underscores his priorities and the value he places on family. It was a conscious effort to create a grounded environment for his family.

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