Cillian Murphy’s Oscars Buzz Is Hilarious When You Remember His Very First Breakout Scene

Although Cillian Murphy is positioned to win the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 96th Academy Awards, his breakout scene as Jim in 28 Days Later makes his potential Oscar winner success hilarious. Known for its trailblazing depiction of zombies and gritty writing that still holds up over two decades later, 28 Days Later is a seminal entry in the zombie movie genre. Further, Cillian Murphy’s return for 28 Years Later, this time as producer, has set a high bar for the sequel considering the star-making performance that the Academy Award nominee delivered in the 2002 classic.

However, an oft-forgotten element of 28 Days Later is its subtle yet effective use of humor to balance out the otherwise unrelenting drama. While it’s uncertain what 28 Years Later‘s story will be about, it would feel like a huge missed opportunity from the filmmakers if they didn’t include comedic elements similar to 28 Days Later in some capacity. Irrespective of what 28 Years Later does, 28 Days Later is highly regarded, chiefly among them being that it properly introduced the world to Murphy while also setting him up for future critical success.

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The First Scene In Cillian Murphy’s Breakout Role Is Amusing In Hindsight

28 Days Later’s intro scene sees Murphy’s Jim running through London naked.

28 Days Later is one of the best zombie movies made because of its stylistic handling of zombies, authentic portrayals of violence, and, arguably most importantly, because it depicted society’s downfall amid a global crisis. However, one thing that even some of the most ardent supporters of the popular zombie franchise tend to forget is that Murphy’s first major scene consists of Jim running out of a hospital naked. Although it makes sense considering the young man awakens from a coma, it’s undeniably hilarious and one of the few moments of levity in the film.

As amusing as the scene is, it highlights the severity of the situation in a subtle and effective way. By thrusting Jim, and, by relation, the audience into his newfound reality, it makes viewers feel just as uneasy about the events going on as Jim. Not only does this enhance viewer engagement, but it also demonstrates fairly early into Murphy’s mainstream career that he’s willing to tackle complicated subjects by any means necessary, so long as the filmmaking is competent. By embracing the level of boldness shown in his first nude scene, Murphy positioned himself for later Oscar success.

How 28 Days Later Set Cillian Murphy Up For Oscars Success

Jim is one of Murphy’s most layered and interesting characters.

Although Jim starts 28 Days Later as a confused and somewhat naive protagonist, he quickly adapts to his environment and takes on the role of leader once he meets other survivors like Selena and Frank. As such, Jim not only undergoes a substantial amount of character development throughout the film, but Murphy’s acting range becomes far more apparent as the film progresses, as well. In the span of the film’s 113-minute runtime, Murphy convincingly develops from a confused and vulnerable naked man running through London to someone fully capable of murdering a would-be rapist with his bare hands.

Despite the brutality of the scene and the film as a whole, Murphy still maintains a boyish innocence throughout the film, which only speaks volumes about his prowess as a leading man. With subsequent supporting or starring roles in the majority of Christopher Nolan’s filmography – most notably Batman Begins, Inception, and Oppenheimer, Red Eye, Peaky Blinders, and A Quiet Place Part II, Murphy has demonstrated an impeccable degree of acting range in some of the entertainment industry’s most indelible movies and TV shows. As such, 28 Days Later serves as the genesis for his potential Oscar win.