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Aran Murphy had his first viral moment. After hitting the red carpet for his new show, Youth, social media users pointed out how similar the 19-year-old up-and-coming actor’s mannerisms are to those of Oscar winner Cillian Murphy, Aran’s father. “I knew who his dad was before I even heard him,” adds one commenter underneath Aran’s video interview, which took place on September 11.
Aran has a big year ahead, with a number of projects set to hit the small and big screen. Keep scrolling to get to know Cillian’s sons, Aran and Malachy, whom he shares with his wife, artist Yvonne McGuinness. Though Cillian famously avoids the spotlight, he’s shared several details about his family life and his son’s career over the years.
Aran Murphy
Aran is Cillian’s youngest son, born in July 2007. After spending the first few years of his life in London, Aran moved with his family to Dublin in 2015, per The Telegraph.
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Aran caught the acting bug early. He was 11 years old when he made his acting debut in the one-boy play Hamnet — not to be confused with the award-winning 2025 film. Cillian praised Aran’s approach to acting during an interview with The Guardian.
“He was so chilled about it, you know?” the Oppenheimer actor said. “He would come off stage and ask what the score was in the Liverpool game. And, again, you’re slightly jealous of that! There’s the danger that overanalyzing everything can erode the simplicity.”
Cillian told The Telegraph in 2024 that Aran was showing promise as an actor. “It may not be the thing he does, but he’s really good at it,” he said. “One of my friends saw him in a play and said, ‘Cill, he’s better looking, he’s a better actor, he’s younger, and he’s taller. You’re f***ed.’ We’ll see. People are smart enough to judge you on your talent. There’s no way any kid will get by on nepotism alone. Everyone in this business gets found out unless they’re good, and he’s a good little actor. But we’re not putting him under any pressure. If he decides to become a musician or a poet or a farmer or a chef, that’s up to him.”
Aran is set to appear in HBO‘s comedy Youth first. The show follows a 50-year-old divorcee searching for love while caring for her older parents and grown son. He’ll also perform in Season 2 of HBO legal drama War. Then, he’ll star opposite Jenna Ortega in Klara and the Sun, which hits theaters in October 2026.
Malachy Murphy
Malachy was born in December 2005, making him about a year older than his brother. Unlike Aran, though, Malachy hasn’t entered the spotlight. However, that hasn’t stopped his dad from sharing tidbits during interviews and thanking his son in his award speeches.
At the Palm Springs International Film Awards in 2024, Cillian said, “Because I don’t ever really get to do this too often, I want to say thanks to my family. Two-thirds of them are sitting down there. We had to leave one of them at home doing exams. But just thanks for putting up with me — putting up with the half me and the shadow me and the absent me, the remains of me when I’m doing a film like this or work in general. You’re always there. I love it. So thanks, guys.”
Cillian has also joked that his sons aren’t star-struck by his work. He told The Standard, “Most of what I do is highly unsuitable for them. They’re suitably underwhelmed by my work. I’m trying to keep them in that state because it’s such a silly industry.”
The Peaky Blinders actor has opened up about balancing his work and his home life throughout his career. “I have an amazing wife, and I couldn’t do this without her and her understanding,” he told GQ. “But it is a struggle. I think it is for any dad whose work takes him away, which it generally does, and which consumes him, which my work does.”
Cillian seems to be close with his sons as a result of his efforts. During his speech for his 2024 BAFTA win, the actor said, “Finally, to Yvonne, Malachy and Aran, you are my best friends, and I love you so much.”