Biography - Born in Cork in 1976, Irish actor Cillian Murphy first made his mark with his stunning performance in the award-winning stage version of Disco Pigs. After the production received Best Fringe Show at the 1996 Dublin Theatre Festival and the Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival 1997, it went on to tour extensively in Ireland, the UK, Toronto and Australia. Murphy later starred in the award-winning film version directed by Kirsten Sheridan. In the theatre Murphy continued to attract attention for his role as Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing and in two plays for Tony Award Winning director Garry Hynes as the lead role in The Country Boy , as Johnny Boyle in Juno and the Paycock . Since then he has appeared as Adam in Neil La Bute?s play The Shape of Things at Dublin?s Gate Theatre, as Konstantin in The Seagull at the Edinburgh International Festival directed by the acclaimed German director Peter Stein and, most recently, and to huge acclaim, as Christy Mahon in Garry Hynes? 2004 production of The Playboy of the Western World. His major film and television credits include John Carney?s On The Edge for Universal, Stephen Bradley?s Sweety Barrett, The Ambassador for the BBC, William Boyd's The Trench, Nelson Hume?s Sunburn which was featured in the Galway Film Fleadh and Goran Paskalijevic?s How Harry Became a Tree. Murphy appeared in the role of Paul Montague in David Yeats BBC television drama The Way We Live Now to considerable critical acclaim in 2002. Cillian's short film The Watchmen, which he co-wrote with Paloma Baeza, was short listed for the Turner Classic Movie Short Film Award. In 2002 Cillian made a huge international impact in the leading role of Jim in 28 Days Later directed by Danny Boyle for Fox Searchlight. Since then he has appeared as Pieter in The Girl With The Pearl Earring directed by Peter Webber and as Bardolf in Cold Mountain directed by Anthony Minghella and in the leading role of John in Intermission , directed by John Crowley for Company of Wolves. Cillian appeared in the role of Prof. Jonathan Crane (The Scarecrow) in Warner Bros. Batman Begins directed by Christopher Nolan and in the leading role of Patrick 'Kitten' Brady in Neil Jordan's new feature Breakfast on Pluto for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2005. He alos appeared as Jackson Rippner opposite Rachel McAdams in Red Eye, directed by Wes Craven for Dreamworks SKG in 2005. Cillian most recently appeared as Damien in Ken Loach's new feature film The Wind That Shakes The Barley for Sweet Sixteen/Pathe Films which won the Palm D'Or at Cannes 2006 and is currently on general release. Cillian will next appear as Capa in Danny Boyle's new feature film Sunshine for DNA films which is due for release in early 2007. He most recently completed filming Watching the Detectives opposite Lucy Liu, directed by Paul Soter for Hart-Lunsford Pictures. He is currently starring as Bean, in Love Song at the new Ambassadors Theatre in London's Westend; by John Kolvenbach, directed by John Crowley.