The star of Oppenheimer, Irish actor Cillian Murphy, who recently changed his hair color, has purchased the “Phoenix” cinema in the Irish town of Dingle, along with his wife, artist Yvonne McGuinness. This is the very cinema Murphy visited as a child. How heartwarming!
The cinema, located in the heart of the town, is the only one on the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. The building is over 100 years old. It has previously been used as a cinema, concert hall, and dance hall. Three years ago, it was put up for sale, and only now have Cillian and Yvonne decided to purchase it. It turns out that this place holds special significance for the actor.
“As a child, I used to go to the ‘Phoenix’ during summer holidays to watch films. My dad watched movies there when he was a young man before me, and we’ve seen many films at the ‘Phoenix’ with our children. We understand what cinema means to Dingle,” said Murphy.
The “Phoenix” cinema was built by brothers Jimmy and Johnny Hoolihan and opened in 1919. After fires in 1921 and 1938, it was reconstructed twice, with an art deco façade and a floor mosaic featuring a phoenix, along with a sign. For a long time, the cinema was the main hub of creativity, art, and a meeting place for the town of Dingle.
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It’s worth noting that Cillian Murphy is one of Ireland’s most successful and respected actors. This year alone, he received a Golden Globe, BAFTA, Oscar, and Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. By the way, in March it was announced that Murphy will star in a feature film based on the Peaky Blinders series.
