Who is Yvonne McGuinness? Cillian Murphy’s wife and their relationship timeline

Cillian Murphy‘s period as a slept-on actor appears to be over.

Sure, he’s been popular for years, but rarely has Murphy been recognized for the breadth of talent he boasts. He’s won a few awards here and there, for incredible performances in programs like Peaky Blinders and Misterman, but he’s far too often relegated to the background while other actors steal the spotlight.

All that’s changing with Oppenheimer, which puts the talented Murphy front and center. His performance in the popular flick is reaffirming Murphy as a singular talent, and prompting those who’ve recently discovered him to dive deep into his filmography. This inevitably prompts questions about Murphy’s background, and the steadfast woman who helped him accomplish those career highs.

Who is Yvonne McGuinness?

Cillian Murphy’s been spoken for since the late ’90s, and he hasn’t looked back once. As it turns out, he met his wife, Yvonne McGuinness, long before he accomplished the star-studded status he currently claims. Back when he was just getting started as an actor, he and McGuinness met and hit it off right away.

McGuiness is an artist, like Murphy, but you won’t catch her on any prime time programs. She’s a visual artist, rather than an actor, who’s work tends to lean into video installations and occasionally other formats, like print. Her website sports an array of stunning visual projects, showcasing McGuinness’ broad talent in capturing emotion and human connection through her art. Back in 2004, an archived biography described her work as being “preoccupied with notions of portrayal of the self and with deception, dealing with the sublimated desire for self-expression of the artist and the tension between revelation and concealment.”

Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness relationship timeline

She may not boast the fan following her husband currently sports, but McGuinness is a thriving artist in her own right. Her career has been building alongside Murphy’s over the three decades they’ve been together, as the two artists thrive in the creative space they’ve made for themselves.

Murphy and McGuinness actually got together before either half of the duo achieved any notable recognition. Back in their early days, in the mid to late ’90s, they met while Murphy was working on Disco Pigs. Those foundational years, which Murphy describes as “the most important period of my life,” set the groundwork for the branching success both halves of the Murphy/McGuinness pairing have enjoyed.

They dated for a few years before tying the knot in 2004, and within the decade they’d welcomed two new additions to the family. Their first son, Malachy, was born in 2005, and their second son, Aran, followed in 2007. The happy family unit lived for years in London, but moved over to Dublin in 2015, where they seem content to stay for the near future.

Despite the many challenges of a career like Murphy’s — which often requires him to relocate and stay away from his home for months — the family he shares with McGuinness is doing fine. She keeps things running smoothly while he’s away, juggling the kids and life with her own artistic pursuits, as he lights up the big screen from afar. Next year, they’ll ring in their 20th wedding anniversary, within months of (we assume) Murphy taking home his very first Oscar for Oppenheimer.