Christopher Nolan Describes the Moment He First Saw Cillian Murphy: “Your Shaved Head and Your Crazy Eyes”

Christopher Nolan knew right away that Cillian Murphy had something special. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Nolan recalled seeing Murphy in press photos for 28 Days Later in San Francisco.

“I saw a picture of you with your shaved head and your crazy eyes — no offense. I remember being struck by your presence, literally from that one photograph,” Nolan said. “I started to look into who you were, and what you’d done, and got very excited about the idea of meeting you.”

Their first meeting came under the pretense of a Batman audition for Batman Begins. Murphy quickly realized he wasn’t the right fit for the role of Bruce Wayne. “It was clear to me from the beginning that I wasn’t Batman material,” he said.

“It felt to me that it was correct and right that it should be Christian Bale for that part.”

Nolan, however, saw potential in Murphy for a different role. Using the audition as a screen test, he convinced the studio to cast Murphy as the Scarecrow. “All the previous Batman villains had been played by huge movie stars: Jack Nicholson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Carrey, that kind of thing,” Nolan explained.

“That was a big leap for them and it really was purely on the basis of that test. So that’s how you got to play Scarecrow.”

Murphy’s casting as Scarecrow marked the beginning of a long and successful collaboration with Nolan. He returned in The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, delivering a chilling and complex performance that stood out among the film’s ensemble cast.

Beyond Batman, Murphy has also worked with Nolan on Inception, Dunkirk and Oppenheimer, showing his versatility and ability to bring depth to every role. Nolan has often praised Murphy’s skill at balancing intensity and subtlety, making him one of the director’s most trusted actors.

Their creative partnership has become one of modern cinema’s most respected collaborations. Murphy’s dedication to his roles complements Nolan’s ambitious storytelling, resulting in memorable characters and films that resonate with audiences worldwide.

What do you think about Nolan and Murphy’s collaboration? Are there any performances that stand out for you? Share your thoughts in the comments.