Absolute favorite:

Cillian Murphy to be the new Bond actor

Cillian Murphy is set to inherit Daniel Craig's license to kill.(Bild: APA/AFP/Michael Tran)

"Oppenheimer" star Cillian Murphy is not only the absolute favorite at the Oscars, but also in the running for the coveted job of James Bond actor, which is vacant after the end of the Daniel Craig era.

After his incredible portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan's masterpiece "Oppenheimer", the Irishman is said to be at the top of the Bond makers' list.

Bosses very impressed
According to British newspapers, the 47-year-old Cillian "impressed bosses so much" after his BAFTA-winning performance that they now want him for the legendary role previously played by fellow Irishman Pierce Brosnan, Sean Connery, Roger Moore and, most recently, Daniel Craig.

"The star in Hollywood"
"Cillian is the star in Hollywood at the moment and this would be the ultimate role. This is an opportunity to upgrade the Bond franchise with an actor who is at the top of his game," a source told The Sun.

Murphy, who is nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor for his role in "Oppenheimer", studied law at University College Cork, but dropped out after a year to pursue his acting career.

He began his acting career in the early 2000s with roles in plays and independent films. In 2002, he played the lead role in the film 28 "Days Later", which gave him his breakthrough.

Cillian Murphy after his Golden Globe win with wife Yvonne McGuinness and son Malachy Murphy(Bild: Berliner,Alex J. / Action Press / picturedesk.com)

His other films include 'Batman Begins' (2005), 'The Dark Knight' (2008), 'Inception' (2010), 'Dunkirk' (2017) and 'A Quiet Place Part II' (2020). Cillian Murphy played the lead role of Thomas "Tommy" Shelby in the TV series "Peaky Blinders" (2013 to 2022).

Murhpy has been married to artist Yvonne McGuinness since 2004. The couple have two sons.