Domhnall Gleeson has admitted to being “embarrassed” by his acting hero Cillian Murphy during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show. The Irish actors appeared together on Norton’s sofa last October, in the notorious episode that sparked fellow guest Taylor Swift to recruit everyone in her proximity to appear in one of her music videos. Gleeson said he was thrown off not by global superstar Swift, but by Murphy, who used his time on the show to express his admiration for Gleeson himself.
Murphy said that he had seen Gleeson in a Martin McDonagh play called The Lieutenant of Inishmore, and described Gleeson’s performance in it as “magnetic”. Now, in a new interview, Gleeson has recalled feeling touched and embarrassed by Murphy’s gesture. He is exceptional at everything, in every way, and so that meant a huge amount.” He continued: “I definitely got a bit shy, which is weird when you’re being filmed, but it made me feel good but also embarrassed at the same time.” Gleeson is one of the most successful Irish stars of his generation, having starred in films including About Time and Ex Machina.
He currently stars in The Paper, a spin-off from the US version of The Office. Murphy, meanwhile, became an Oscar winner in 2024 for his starring role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, and has appeared in a raft of hit movies including Inception and 28 Days Later. Both actors appeared in Taylor Swift’s video for her single “Opalite” earlier this year, after Swift invited them – along with Graham Norton, Lewis Capaldi, and actors Greta Lee and Jodie Turner-Smith – to star in it.
All of them had previously appeared on the same episode of Norton’s BBC chat show last year. New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Except that in that moment during the interview, I was instantly struck with an *idea*.” “And so a week later he received an email script I’d written for the ‘Opalite’ video, where he was playing the starring role. I had this thought that it would be wild if all of our fellow guests on the Graham Norton show that night, including Graham himself, could be a part of it too.
Like a school group project but for adults and it isn’t mandatory.” Norton was subsequently invited to Swift’s high-profile Madison Square Garden wedding in July. It is unclear if Gleeson and Murphy received their own invitations. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
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