Irish Oscar hopeful Cillian Murphy has said he didn't expect 'Oppenheimer' to do so well.
The star is up for the Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of the famous US theoretical physicist in Christopher Nolan's historical epic.
If he wins he would become the first Irish-born man to take the accolade.
Irish citizen Daniel Day-Lewis has won three times for his roles in 'My Left Foot', 'There Will Be Blood' and 'Lincoln'.
'When people say they've seen the film four, five, six times, that's kind of phenomenal.' Oppenheimer star and Oscar hopeful Cillian Murphy speaks with @HenryMcKean in LA, as excitement grows for #oscars2024
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Oscar statuettes to be presented to winners at an Academy Award presentation in 2008. Picture by: Richard Levine / Alamy Stock PhotoBarry Fitzgerald and Brenda Fricker have taken Oscars for Best Supporting Actor and Best Actress, respectively.
Murphy will go up against Bradley Cooper, Colman Domingo, Paul Giamatti and Jeffrey Wright for the gold statue on Sunday night.
Celebrations kicked off in Los Angeles last night with the Oscar Wilde Awards.
Hosted by filmmaker JJ Abrams and the US-Ireland Alliance, they are dedicated to consolidating existing relations between the United States and Ireland.
File photo of JJ Abrams at the Oscar Wilde Awards. Image: US-Ireland AllianceHenry McKean caught up with Cillian Murphy on the green carpet last night.
"It feels wonderful, none of us expected that the film would do so well," he said.
"The thing that always strikes me is when people come and say they've seen the film four and five and six times.
"That's kind of phenomenal - young and old, boys and girls - it's amazing."
Asked about the difference between work and award shows, Cillian said work trumps everything.
"It's all about the work for me, really that's always been the thing.
"Whatever happens afterwards after that you can't control."
'Really not competitive'
Cillian said he is really enjoying spending time with other Irish actors.
"So much is here representing and it's great to hang out with Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal and all the lads so I've really, really enjoyed it," he said.
"It's really not competitive - it might appear that way but it's really not.
"It feels very collegial, it feels very much like all of us in it together," he added.
This year saw actress Molly Shannon, whose family hails from Achill in Co Mayo, honoured with an Oscar Wilde Award.
Others attending included Pierce Brosnan, Samantha Mumba and Roma Downey.
