How Cillian Murphy's wife, artist Yvonne McGuiness, was 'pivotal' during his rise and helped the Peaky Blinders actor 'tolerate' red carpets – after first meeting at a 1996 play

He's one of Hollywood's most in-demand actors, having starred in everything from Peaky Blinders to Oppenheimer.

But despite his steady rise to global fame in recent years, Cillian Murphy, 47, has managed to maintain a quiet family life – thanks in part to the unwavering support of his wife Yvonne McGuiness, 51.

During his appearance on Desert Island Discs, which aired on BBC Radio 4 yesterday, the 47-year-old actor said his wife had been 'crucial' in adapting to Hollywood.

Speaking to presenter Lauren Laverne, Cillian explained how he found the 'ancillary aspects' of being an actor – such as walking the red carpet – 'quite challenging'.

Speaking about his wife, he continued, “It's important to have a really secure, solid foundation.

“You have to have that safe place. I certainly will. It's like an island of comfort and convenience.'

He told Lauren Laverne: “It's been crucial, honestly. I don't think I could have done the things we talked about without having them.

“It has been the most important thing for me: having those children and raising them.”

The couple – who have made an effort to avoid the spotlight – have now been together for more than 28 years and share two sons.

Here, FEMAIL looks back at one of Hollywood's most successful love stories and how Yvonne has supported Cillian every step of the way from the sidelines.

First meeting

Cillian and Yvonne first met in the 1990s when he starred in a play called Disco Pigs, which is about two Irish teenagers and was later made into a film.

After a successful performance in Dublin, the play was then transferred to Edinburgh, London, Australia and the US, and Irish musician Yvonne McGuinness became involved.

Speak with The guard in 2016, the actor – whose parents were teachers – said: 'That time, making Disco Pigs, was actually the most important period of my life. The people I met there remain my best friends.

'They shaped me in terms of my tastes, in terms of what I wanted to do with my life. And it was around the same time that I met my wife.

'She came on tour with us. It was so exciting, twenty years ago or whatever it was – we were all just kids, trying to find our way – but such a special, special time.”

Yvonne grew up in Kilkenny, Ireland, and attended Cork Institute of Technology. In 2001, the couple reportedly moved to London so that Yvonne could study for her master's degree at the Royal College of Art.

Yvonne's uncle is Irish politician Jim McGuinness and her grandfather Michael McGuinness was also reportedly Kilkenny's longest-serving councilor from 1959-1999.

Secret wedding and becoming parents

The couple married in 2004 and reportedly held the ceremony at Yvonne's father's vineyard in France.

However, the couple never publicly responded to this rumor or acknowledged where their wedding took place.

The following year, the couple welcomed their first son Malachy, followed by Aran in 2007.

Although the family lived in London at the time, Cillian and Yvonne decided to return to Dublin to raise their young family.

He told The Guardian: “We wanted them to be Irish, I think. It's amazing how quickly their accents have adapted.”

In 2005, Cillian also ruled out any possibility of him moving to the US for work and praised Yvonne for her continued support.

He told People magazine: 'I don't have to live in Los Angeles. I would be very far away from my family, I would never see them.'

Cillian describes how Yvonne kept him grounded as his career took off: 'It's really important to have someone like that.

'My life hasn't really changed in any way. I still have the same friends and we go to the same places.'

In 2016, Cillian explained how he moved to Liverpool to film Peaky Blinders while his wife stayed at home with their two sons.

Returning to the family home after filming seasons, Cillian joked that it takes some time for him to shake off his on-screen persona.

He explained: 'My wife sees it happening. 'Okay. Tommy gradually leaves. I'll get Cillian back.'

In an interview with GQ in 2019 Cillian said: 'I couldn't do this without it [my wife] and her understanding. But it's a battle.

“I think it's true of any father whose work takes him away, which is most of the time, and consumes him, which my work does.”

He added: 'I make sure I don't try to go from job to job to job because that means you live in a bubble of set, hotel, set, hotel, plane, film festivals – which for me is not reality is. . So I just count on that for six months a year.'

Cillian and his family now live in Dublin after he reportedly spent almost £1.7 million on a Victorian mansion.

The four-storey house, originally built in 1863, is located in Monkstown, south Dublin, and has six double bedrooms and four reception rooms.

Yvonne's artistic career

While Cillian's career has skyrocketed over the past twenty years, Yvonne has also made short films and other experimental works of art.

The mother-of-two's biography on her website reads: 'She is interested in an embodied experience of place and belonging by staging live, audience, interventions and performances that capture surreal and dynamic moments of interaction and connection with place, time and create communities. '

Last summer, Cillian revealed that it was Yvonne's idea to adapt Claire Keegan's novel Small Things Like These into a film.

Speak with The guard in a separate interview, Cillian recalled telling her: 'No, you can't [the rights would be available]. That must have disappeared already.'

To his delight, Cillian's agent told him that the book rights had not yet been purchased, prompting him to pitch the idea to Matt Damon, who has his own studio.

Rare PDA at Golden Globes

Earlier this year, Cillian Murphy won Best Actor for his role in Oppenheimer at the Golden Globes.

After his win was announced, Yvonne jumped out of her seat and gave her husband a quick kiss, prompting him to joke about the red lipstick on her mouth during his speech.

During his acceptance speech, Cillian called himself 'the luckiest man' as he spoke directly to his wife and children.

“To my family, I am the happiest man and I love you,” he said.

The week before, the actor paid tribute to Yvonne and their sons as he was honored with the Desert Palm Achievement Award at the Palm Springs International Film Awards.

He said, 'Two-thirds of them are sitting there. We had to leave one of them at home for exams.

“But just thank you for putting up with me – the half me, the shadow me and the absent me, the remnants of me when I make a film like this or work in general. You are always there. I love it. So thanks, guys.”

Cillian's loving tribute to Yvonne

During his appearance on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Cillian admitted he has 'struggled' with red carpets in the past.

He added: “It's still not something I'm completely comfortable with. You have to choose to enjoy it and I think you can do that in your mind. Just make that change and it will be easier.”

However, he went on to say that Yvonne's presence this year has made things easier.

He added: “I had my wife and children with me and it was lovely. You'd be an idiot if you didn't enjoy it. Go for it, that's my attitude.'

Elsewhere, Cillian paid loving tribute to his wife and their life together.

He told Lauren Laverne: “It's been crucial, honestly. I don't think I could have done the things we talked about without having them.

'I have been with my wife for 28 years now. It has been the most important thing for me: having those children and raising them.'

The A-List actor went on to say that having a “secure, solid foundation” has been very important to him and functions as a “safe place” amid the madness of fame.

During the interview, Cillian also admitted that he was 'relieved' that the BBC drama had ended in 2002, but is now 'fully' working on a film adaptation.

Murphy also hinted that the program's writer, Steven Knight, had more stories to tell about the Birmingham-based Shelby clan and their criminal activities between the 1880s and 1910s.

He explained, “I've always said that if Knight delivers a script that I know he can deliver, because he's such a phenomenal writer, I'll be there. If we want to look at 50-year-old Tommy Shelby, let's do it.”