Cillian Murphy led the UK premiere of Steve, Tim Mielants' film of Max Porter's novella Shy, set over one day at a reform school in the mid-1990s.
Steve, Tim Mielants’ film of Max Porter’s novella Shy, held its UK premiere at Curzon Mayfair on Tuesday 16 September 2025. Cillian Murphy, who plays the title role, also produced it.
Murphy was born in Douglas, Cork, in 1976, into a family of teachers: his mother taught French and his father worked for the Department of Education. His professional debut came in Enda Walsh’s Disco Pigs in 1996.
28 Days Later, Breakfast on Pluto and a long run of films with Christopher Nolan followed, alongside Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor as J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Porter adapted his own 2023 novella, and Murphy’s company, Big Things Films, produced with Alan Moloney. Murphy plays the headteacher of a school for boys with social and behavioural difficulties, over one day in the mid-1990s.
On the carpet, Murphy spoke of his parents’ years in the classroom. The film opened in British cinemas on 19 September and reached Netflix on 3 October.
Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo, Simbi Ajikawo and Emily Watson complete the cast. Ullman, Lycurgo, Little Simz and Mielants joined Murphy at the premiere.