She mentioned that, despite being one of the finest actors of our time, Murphy has a hard time acknowledging his own brilliance.
During an interview with 60 Minutes, the host Scott Pelley asked Blunt about her bond with Murphy, who admitted feeling “broken” and “worn out” after filming Oppenheimer.
Pelley asked, “You describe him as ‘shy’, not able to handle a compliment. Does he know how good he is?”
he responded, “No, I don’t think so. I don’t know if any of the great actors say that about themselves. I feel he is always in search, looking ahead, looking off to the horizon.
“He’s looking at ‘What else can I do? How far can I push it? I think it would be so painful for him to acknowledge how good he is.”
She then jokingly referred to him as “the worst celebrity in the world.”
A puzzled Pelley asked her to elaborate on what she meant.
She clarified, “He’s my favourite actor I’ve ever worked with. Because he is unparalleled in what he can do and how he pulls you in.”
“The whole room crackles with a sort of life force when you work with him. It’s wonderful.”
When Pelley asked whether Murphy, who won an Academy Award for his role as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer, stayed in character all day or switched it on and off, Blunt laughed and said he switches it because “he’s just that good.”
She shared, “I have pictures in our old prosthetic makeup and we’re literally crying with laughter.”
Murphy’s performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer has earned widespread praise, including an Academy Award for Best Actor. Despite this, he stays humble and often downplays his celebrity status.
Murphy has candidly shared in the past that he prefers to focus on his craft rather than the spotlight.
He confessed this during an honest moment in an interview with Esquire.
He said, “I’m shit at being anything else other than an actor. I’m shit at being a personality.”
“I’m shit at red carpets. I’m shit at being on talk shows. I’m shit at, like, all the other stuff that comes with it.”
