Cillian Murphy’s family and friends plan Oscar night watch parties as Cork hopes for awards victory

Private viewing parties have been arranged amongst the Oppenheimer star's family, friends, neighbours and former schoolmates as he remains the bookies’ favourite to win the Best Actor Oscar.

Boyle Sports have ranked the Irish star at 1/10 favourite to take the award in Beverly Hills having already taken the Golden Globe, Bafta and Screen Actors Guild honours.

If the 47-year-old does win the Academy Award at Sunday night's glittering ceremony, he will be feted with a civic reception in Cork amid growing calls for him to be awarded the Freedom of Cork, the city's highest honour.

The actor is famed for being publicity-shy and for insisting on keeping his personal life and family out of the limelight.

He has been joined in Los Angeles by a small circle of family and friends for Sunday's lavish ceremony.

Speaking in Los Angeles, he refused to be drawn on the fact bookies have made him the overwhelming favourite for the accolade – and joked about suggestions he had overtaken Roy Keane as Cork’s most famous citizen.

"At the moment, it's just this kind of whirlwind and it is so humbling and overwhelming and you're just kind of in it," he told media.

"You know, everyone says this but it's true - no one makes films to win awards. We just make them because we enjoy making them.

"We make them mostly for ourselves and if audiences go for it and understand it, that's a bonus. So, honestly, that's all I'm thinking about at the moment is just this great celebration of the film and of the great year we've had for cinema.

"It's great there's a few of us here together and just going to enjoy it, do our best, I suppose."

The actor was born in Douglas on Cork's southside in May 1976.

His father, Brendan, worked for the Department of Education while his mother, Mary, was a French teacher.

Cillian was raised in Ballintemple alongside his younger siblings, Paidí, Síle and Orla.

His wife, Yvonne, is from Kilkenny and the couple have two children, Malachy (18) and Aran (16).

Having lived in London for a time due to Cillian's work commitments, primarily with 'Peaky Blinders', the family have been based in Dublin since 2015.

The actor remains very close to his family - but is intensely protective of their privacy.

He decided to await the Academy Awards nomination listings while staying with his parents in Cork - and celebrated with his mother's homemade sponge cake and a cup of tea.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin paid tribute to the actor’s achievements and said everyone in Cork and Ireland would be wishing him well at the Academy Awards.

"I’d like to wish Cillian the very best of luck on Sunday night,” he said.

Cillian's former school, Presentation Brothers College (PBC), are immensely proud of their former student's achievements on the silver screen.

Poet and novelist William Wall taught English to the actor in PBC in the 1990s.

He said what was truly remarkable about the actor was that, despite his global success over the years, he has remained a lovely, down-to-earth person with an abiding affection for his home city.

"I could see he was a natural during a school play. He just had a natural understanding of literature, poetry and theatre,” Wall said.

"From the very beginning you could see he loved the stage."

The teacher and poet wrote to his former student after the Golden Globes to express his delight at his triumph.

"I told him he is a chameleon - he can enter the soul of whatever character he is portraying" he said.

Mr Wall said that, like everyone else in Cork and Ireland, he will be delighted if his former pupil lifts the coveted golden statuette on Sunday night.

Cillian also did a stint with Corcadorca Theatre Company where director Pat Kiernan was quick to note the young man's skill and commitment to his craft.

PBC principal David Barry said that, irrespective of what happens on Sunday night, both the school and everyone in Cork are immensely proud of Cillian and his career accomplishments.

"We are delighted for Cillian and his family after the Baftas, Golden Globes and now the Oscars," he said.

"The entire school is thrilled at his successes. Our congratulations go to him and his family."

Cillian sat his Leaving Cert at PBC before spending a year studying law at University College Cork (UCC).

Such has been the focus on the actor that there has been a renewed interest in his early artistic activities - including his band The Sons of Mr Green Genes.

He was the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the Cork outfit which was named in honour of a Frank Zappa song.

The band consisted of Cillian, his brother Paidí and a friend called Bob Jackson.

Demo tapes of the band, who played lunchtime concerts at PBC, are now prized collector items on Leeside.

Cillian's band were offered a record deal but he decided to focus his energies on his acting career and earned his major break-out performance with '28 Days Later', Danny Boyle's acclaimed 2002 horror film.

Since then he has starred in a succession of hit films and TV shows including 'The Wind That Shakes The Barley', 'Red Eye', 'Batman,' 'Dunkirk' and 'Peaky Blinders.'

He has developed a close working relationship with director Christopher Nolan and admitted he was thrilled to secure the lead role in 'Oppenheimer' which has seen him nominated for virtually every best actor award within the industry.

The actor remains firmly grounded with his father helping him maintain his perspective.

Earlier this year, Brendan Murphy explained during an Irish language interview that while his family were thrilled with Cillian's success and proud of his accomplishments, they try to keep success in perspective.

“We don’t like to make too much fuss about him,” he said.

"He has got a job like the sons and daughters of other people, and the difference [is that] he gets a lot of publicity. All the same, we are so happy for him and pleased.”