Cillian Murphy fans baffled by Oscar appearance after he skips the red carpet

Actor took to the stage mid-ceremony after fears he’d ‘forgotten’ the event

Cillian Murphy left fans confused after skipping the red carpet at the 2025 Oscars.

The Oppenheimer actor, 48, who won Best Actor for his portrayal of the physicist in 2024, appeared to present the gong to Adrien Brody for his performance in The Brutalist at the 97th Academy Awards.

Murphy initially panicked fans with many wondering if he’d “forgotten” to attend Hollywood’s biggest night as he failed to walk the red carpet ahead of the ceremony.

“Where is Cillian Murphy?” one person questioned on X/Twitter, alongside an image of someone throwing a chair in anger.

“Cillian Murphy does in fact NOT stun at the Oscars,” added another fan as they mourned his absence on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony.

However, the show’s host, Conan O’Brien, later introduced the Peaky Blinders star onto the stage for the Best Actor prize-giving, joking they have the same genetics but Murphy is more attractive.

“I WAS SITTING LIKE A FOLLY IN MY LIVING ROOM FOR 4 HOURS, WAITING FOR CILLIAN MURPHY TO COME OUT AT THE OSCARS AND IT JUST COMES OUT WHEN I’M IN THE BATHROOM!” one surprised fan revealed on social media.

Cillian Murphy baffled fans after skipping the red carpet at the 2025 Oscars (Getty Images)

After announcing his Peaky Blinders co-star as the Best Actor winner, Murphy embraced Brody in a long hug, with many viewers wondering if they would re-create the winner’s 2003 shock kiss with Halle Berry.

“I can’t believe Adrien Brody didn’t kiss Cillian Murphy,” one person wrote on social media. “That would’ve healed this nation.”

In his acceptance speech, Brody spoke about his own life story, and called out racism and antisemitism, with several viewers joking the actor’s speech was “longer than The Brutalist”.

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The actor appeared mid-ceremony to present Adrien Brody the Best Actor award for 'The Brutalist' (AFP via Getty Images)

“Thank you got for this blessed life,” Brody said as he took the podium. “If I may just humbly begin by giving thanks for the tremendous outpouring of love that I felt from this world and every individual that has treated me with respect and appreciation.

“I feel so fortunate,” he continued. “Acting is a very fragile profession. It looks very glamorous and in certain moments it is, but the one thing that I’ve gained having the privilege to come back here is to have some perspective. No matter where you are in your career, no matter what you’ve accomplished, it can all go away.”

Elsewhere on the night, Sean Baker’s sex worker dramedy Anora was the big winner, taking home prizes for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actress (for Mikey Madison).

You can keep up to date with the latest Oscar developments here.