- Written by Emma Saunders
- Entertainment reporter in Los Angeles
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Brosnan received an Oscar Wilde Award for his contributions to the film and television industry
Former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan has said fellow Irishman and Oscar nominee Cillian Murphy would make a “fantastic” 007 film.
“Cillian will do a fantastic job as James Bond on His Majesty's Secret Service,” Brosnan told the BBC.
Brosnan was speaking at the annual Oscar Wilde Awards, which celebrate Irish creative talent, in Los Angeles.
Murphy, who was also in attendance at the event at JJ Abrams' Bad Robot Productions in Santa Monica, is up for Best Actor at the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday for his titular role in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.
He said he hadn't heard the Bond rumors himself, and also revealed that he hadn't really considered the possibility of winning an Oscar: “I just want to go in and have a good time.”
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Murphy looked relaxed before the Oscars on Sunday
He faces Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers), Colman Domingo (Rustin), Bradley Cooper (Maestro), and Jeffrey Wright (American Fantasy).
Murphy also spoke about his son Aran, 16, who made his film debut in Taika Waititi's Klara And The Sun.
“I'm very proud of him, he's a great actor,” he told reporters on the Irish-themed green carpet, adding that Arran didn't need his father's advice.
Brosnan said he was “very honored” to receive the Oscar Wilde Award for his contributions to the film and television industry.
He praised the “connection” between Ireland and America, adding that he came to the United States in 1982 “on a wing and a prayer… and then got a job.” [on drama series] Remington steel.
Speaking about the rich talent in his homeland, he told the BBC: “We come from a poetic environment… They are amazing storytellers.”
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Irish eyes were smiling at this year's award winners
Other honorees this year include Irish visual effects supervisor Richie Banham and Irish-American actress and comedian Molly Shannon.
Shannon, who rose to fame on “Saturday Night Live” in the 1990s, said she was “very moved…I feel a deep connection to Ireland.”
“People keep telling me that James Bond (Brosnan) excels on stage — but I really know him as Remington Steele,” two-time Oscar winner Banham joked.
Baneham won his first Best Visual Effects win at the Academy Awards for 2009's Avatar, then picked up a win in the same category last year for the much-anticipated film, Avatar: The Way of Water. The director of both films, James Cameron, presented Baneham with an honorary mention.
Baneham is also working on the third Avatar film, scheduled for release in December 2025.
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MAN OF THE MOMENT: Cillian Murphy was in demand on the green carpet
Speaking to the BBC about this year's Oscars lineup, he said he had a “soft spot” for visual effects nominee Godzilla Minus One “because it's a small movie.”
Oppenheimer described it as “a beast of a movie, it's a huge project”, adding: “I hope Cillian does really well (on Sunday).”
But his top advice? “Poor Things is a real winner. It's a breath of fresh air as far as filmmaking goes.”
The film has a big Irish hand – along with its star Emma Stone and director Yorgos Lanthimos, Irish producers Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe of Element Pictures.
Its 11 Academy Award nominations represent a record for an Irish-produced film.
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