Cillian Murphy is best known for his long-running role on Peaky Blinders, but to hear the actor tell it, he's far more invested in his family than his career. That doesn't mean he hasn't made sacrifices for his work, however.
Due to filming for Peaky Blinders, Murphy spent half the year away from his family, a responsibility split that he wasn't thrilled about. Yet Murphy made the sacrifice for his family, though he looked forward to having some downtime after the show that made him globally famous finally ended. Now, Cillian Murphy gets to spend more time with his wife Yvonne McGuinness and their two kids at home in Ireland.
When Did Cillian Murphy Meet His Wife?
Many celebrities become famous for their relationships, or at least make headlines for them. In Cillian's case, he met his wife so early on in his career, even pre-career, that he never even dated any high-profile celebrities.
Cillian Murphy and his wife Yvonne McGuinness met in 1996, got married in 2004, and later welcomed two children (in 2005 and 2007). Cillian's first-ever film (a short film) came out in 1997, while his debut in theatre was the same year he met his future wife.
Most audiences recognize Cillian from Peaky Blinders, but he had a long history on stage before moving to TV and film and even appeared in various music videos with a handful of different artists.
It would be Cillian's 2002 film 28 Days Later that became the signpost for his "breakthrough."
How Did Cillian Meet His Wife Yvonne McGuinness?
By celebrity standards, Cillian and his wife Yvonne had quite a low-key meet-cute back in the day. Before he became an actor, Cillian was in a jazz funk band for a group called The Sons of Mr. Green Genes.
He met his wife at a show, in which he sang and played the guitar (Murphy also wrote songs for the band). By all accounts, their relationship was immediately serious but also drama-free. The two were married as Cillian's career began to take off but welcomed their children long before Peaky Blinders fame came calling.
The fame never went to Murphy's head, though. In various interviews, he's talked about trying to remain a normal person while managing his career and personal life. At times, he's said that work-life balance is a massive challenge, which is what led him to decide to spend a full six months away from acting even while working on Peaky Blinders.
In one interview, Cillian pointed out that, "The agents work for us. The agents don’t tell us what to do. Or they don’t tell me what to do. I tell them what I’m doing." Thus, Murphy declared he would work six months on, six months off on Peaky Blinders, and somehow, it all worked out.
That schedule has allowed him to keep his relationships with sons Malachy and Aran out of the public eye, but it's also meant less time with them than Cillian would have liked.
In terms of making time for his family by turning down work, Cillian wouldn't have it any other way; he told the Independent that he worked his roles around his family, so he wouldn't take something on if there wasn't flexibility and downtime.
As far as balancing work and life, there's one thing that makes it all easier: Cillian's wife.
Is Cillian Murphy's Wife An Actress?
Yvonne McGuinness is not an actress, which makes sense since she didn't meet her husband in the industry. But clearly, they had enough in common in 1996 that she was attending his band's show.
Over the years, she largely stayed out of the industry spotlight while Cillian worked, and by Murphy's own admission, he couldn't have become as successful as he is without Yvonne.
But as Cillian developed his acting career, Yvonne was doing something very different. Yvonne McGuinness isn't famous for the same reason as her husband, but she is well-known in her own niche.
What Does Yvonne McGuinness Do For A Living?
With Cillian's illustrious acting career and $20 million net worth, Yvonne McGuinness probably doesn't need a job. But that doesn't mean she chose to be a stay-at-home mom or opted out of working.
Rather, Yvonne McGuinness is a visual artist who has had shows in Ireland and the UK. She has an MA in art and according to her Vimeo account, creates art in the form of "performance, video, photography, sewing, writing, sculpture and context specific installations."
Over the years, McGuinness' art has appeared in shows in both Ireland and the UK. It's unclear how much she might have earned from her career in art, but various sources suggest that Cillian Murphy's wife is worth, on her own, somewhere between $500K and $5 million.
Either way, Yvonne's "value" isn't dependent on her net worth, and from Cillian's perspective, his wife has done more than her fair share of 'work' over the years. Calling her "amazing," Cillian told GQ that he couldn't do what he does without her.
