Cillian Murphy

In typical Irish fashion—roundabout rather than direct—Cillian Murphy decided to become an actor. After cutting his teeth creatively as an amateur musician and later dropping out of law school, Murphy segued into acting by pestering a local theater director into giving him an audition. With no clear plan and gaping holes in his acting repertoire, Murphy began earning parts in local plays. But it was his turn in the stark two character drama, “Disco Pigs,” that propelled him into a bona fide actor. Originally set to run for three weeks in a 40-seat theater, “Disco Pigs” became a surprise hit,