Cillian Murphy

Cillian Murphy is a lanky, blue-eyed actor whose starring role in the 2003 zombie movie 28 Days Later led to bigger Hollywood roles in Batman Begins (2005) and Red Eye (2005). Murphy studied law before dropping out in favor of a career in the theater. He began getting movie roles in the late 1990s, but it was the surprise success of 28 Days Later that made Murphy a famous face to moviegoers. He had small roles in Intermission (2003, with Colin Farrell), Girl With a Pearl Earring (2003, with Scarlett Johansson) and Cold Mountain (2003, with Nicole Kidman) before landing the plum role of Batman's nemesis, The Scarecrow, in Batman Begins (starring Christian Bale). A star player, Murphy's versatility lends itself to offbeat leading man roles, as seen in 2005, when audiences caught Murphy as an icky villain (Red Eye) and a crooning transvestite (Breakfast on Pluto).

Extra credit: His first name is pronounced "Kill-ian."