Cillian Murphy stars in "Steve," playing the title character, a head teacher at a reform school who the actor says is "having the worst day" but "trying his best. We're trying to present the character as infallible and imperfect and flawed and contradictory, which I believe that we all are. But his impulse is to do the right thing."
Cillian Murphy (center right) plays the head of a boys' reform school trying to maintain his sanity in the drama "Steve."
Cillian Murphy

NEW YORK – On the set of his new film "Steve," (streaming now, Netflix), Academy Award-winning actor Cillian Murphy instituted a "no phones" rule. The idea came from his frequent collaborator, director Christopher Nolan, who enforces a similar policy with his productions. But Murphy, who also serves as a producer on "Steve," admits he's "no saint" when it comes to screen time.

"I'm terrible on my phone," the actor, 49, tells USA TODAY. "We all are sucked into it, but when you're working, you're working. And when we (instituted the rule) on set, particularly if there were a lot of young actors there, they loved it."

The rule helped the cast and crew to stay present on set. It also offered a peek into what life was like for their characters. "Steve" is set in the 90s, before the age of smartphones and social media. Murphy stars as the title character, a head teacher at a reform school for boys. The 92-minute film plays out over a 24 hour period in Steve's life where there's seemingly one fire drill after another. To complicate matters further, a news crew is on campus filming a documentary.

Steve uses a number of coping mechanisms, including alcohol and prescription pills, to navigate what Murphy calls, "the worst day that anyone could possibly have who runs an institution like this."

"(Steve's) filling the issues that remain unresolved for him with work, but there's a lot of stuff that is not being addressed as we begin to see in the movie," Murphy says. "You cannot help others until you help yourself."

Cillian Murphy found inspiration at home for his 'Steve' role

As Murphy prepared to play a school administrator, he thought back on his own experiences with teachers. He also recalled his parents, both of whom were in education in his native Ireland. Murphy's mother Jane taught French and his father Brendan worked for the Department of Education.

"I guess I kind of lived it vicariously through them, and I witnessed the kind of cost that it exacted on them," Murphy says, noting his parents' "day after day" responsibilites with their jobs while raising four children. "And then of course I was in school myself, and I saw how important it can be when a teacher really connects with you."

Murphy credits a teacher, novelist William Wall, with unlocking his passion for literature and theater.

"I really wanted to play music," he says. "I was obsessed with that. And then when the music didn't work out, I ended up in theater."

While Murphy jokes that he ended up as a "failed musician/groupie kind of," he does note that his early days as a theater actor helped smooth the transition. "The live nature of it that I think definitely satisfied that need to be up in front of people and feeling that exchange of energy in a live venue," he says.

Now Murphy adds another line to his resume: producer. He co-launched his production company, Big Things Films, last year. "Steve" came together after talking with author Max Porter, who he has collaborated with in the past.

"Myself and Max are constantly having these conversations about just life and art and children," Murphy says. "He has three boys, I have two boys. And then he said, 'Well, what about "Shy"?'"

"Shy" is Porter's novel that inspired "Steve." The book centers on a student named Shy and occurs over just a few hours. The movie flips the perspective to the teacher and follows an entire day. But the importance of Steve's relationship with Shy is still a focus. Jay Lycurgo plays Shy, in a performance Murphy calls "magnetic."

"I think he's going to be a huge revelation for people that watch the movie," Murphy continues. "He's also in 'Peaky Blinders,' which we shot after. So I've just made two films in a row with Jay. He has this massive sensitivity and massive intelligence as an actor. And he'll break your heart in this film."

Cillian Murphy is well aware of his place in meme culture, thanks to his kids

Murphy won an Academy Award for his portryal of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American physicist who helped develop the first nuclear weapons, in the movie "Oppenheimer." His filmography includes other Nolan films "Inception," "Dunkirk" and the trilogy of "Dark Knight" movies.

But on the Internet he might be best known for his facial expressions and reactions from red carpet photo calls and interviews. The various photos and GIFs have made Murphy's face a go-to for meme creators who will take say, a still of Murphy looking disappointed and attach it to a humerous caption.

Murphy's family will occasionally show him the latest one. He admits it's "very hard to avoid" them.

"I guess you have to be flattered by it," he says. "I don't think about it too often, but I guess if if it's amusing, that's fine."

Murphy has spoken out about how both his fame and talk shows can feel uncomfortable. But it doesn't sway his acting decisions. He still looks for a "challenge" when it comes to future projects, regardless of whether it'll yield another viral meme.

"You want to avoid repetition," Murphy says. "When I look at a script, if I think 'I can do that,' I won't do it. I like to look at a script and go, 'I don't know how the hell I'm gonna do that.' If that's my reaction, then I'll go and do it."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cillian Murphy on those memes and the rule he instituted on the 'Steve' set

Reporting by Ralphie Aversa, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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