It happened in the middle of a red carpet interview at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Billie Eilish was talking, doing the standard press circuit thing with her brother Finneas, when she just... stopped. Her eyes darted off-camera, her face lit up with that specific kind of "oh my god" energy we usually reserve for seeing a puppy or a massive car crash.
"Cillian’s over there, guys," she muttered, completely losing her train of thought. "Just saying. Sorry, I just got distracted."
Honestly, it's the most relatable Billie Eilish has ever been. Watching a seven-time Grammy winner turn into a total puddle because she spotted Cillian Murphy across a crowded room is the kind of pure, unscripted celebrity crossover that the internet lives for. But if you think this is just a random fan-girl moment, you haven't been paying attention to the weirdly specific lore connecting these two.
Why Everyone is Obsessed with the "Ocean Eyes" Theory
If you’ve spent more than five minutes on TikTok or X lately, you’ve probably seen the memes. People are convinced that Billie’s 2015 breakout hit, "Ocean Eyes," was secretly written about Cillian Murphy.
It makes sense, right? The man has eyes that look like they were rendered by a high-end CGI department. They are piercing, unnervingly blue, and basically the visual definition of the song’s lyrics.
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During an interview with Amelia Dimoldenberg for Chicken Shop Date (well, the Oscars version of it), the question finally came up. Amelia point-blank asked if the song was about him. Finneas, who actually wrote the track, played along perfectly. "I probably wrote it about Cillian," he joked, specifically mentioning Cillian’s performance in Dunkirk.
The reality check: Ocean Eyes was released in 2015. Dunkirk came out in 2017. So, unless Finneas is a time traveler, the math doesn't quite check out. But the fact that they even acknowledged it shows how much they're in on the joke. Billie herself admitted she’s a huge fan of his work in Batman Begins and Dunkirk, calling his eyes in those films "the one."
The "Together For Palestine" Collaboration
Fast forward to late 2025, and the connection between these two moved from red carpet fangirling to actual humanitarian work. Both Billie Eilish and Cillian Murphy were among the high-profile stars who appeared in the "Together for Palestine" video.
This wasn't some flashy, over-produced Hollywood gala. It was a raw, one-minute video released ahead of a major benefit concert at London’s OVO Arena Wembley, organized by Brian Eno. You had Cillian Murphy and Joaquin Phoenix opening the message, followed by Billie and Finneas declaring their support for a ceasefire and humanitarian relief in Gaza.
It was a rare moment where two of the most "elusive" stars in the world—people who usually avoid the spotlight when they aren't working—put their names on the same project for a cause they cared about. Seeing them in the same digital space, alongside folks like Steve Coogan and Nicola Coughlan, gave the campaign a massive boost in visibility.
The Viral Dream That Changed Everything
You can’t talk about Billie and her "Batman" obsession without mentioning the Christian Bale incident. During that same awards season run where she kept bumping into Cillian, Billie dropped a bombshell: a dream about Cillian's Dark Knight co-star, Christian Bale, made her break up with her boyfriend.
"I had a dream about Christian Bale in a little cafe in the sunlight," she told Amelia Dimoldenberg. "And it made me realize I had to break up with my boyfriend at the time."
Why does this matter for the Cillian Murphy connection? Because it paints a picture of Billie’s genuine, slightly chaotic love for cinema and the "Nolan-verse" actors. She isn't just a casual viewer. She’s someone who gets deeply, emotionally impacted by these performances. When she looks at Cillian Murphy, she’s not just seeing a famous actor; she’s seeing the craftsmanship of Oppenheimer and the intensity of Scarecrow.
Two Halves of the Same Introverted Coin
There is a reason why the public pairs these two together so often, and it isn't just the blue eyes. It’s the vibe.
Cillian Murphy is famously "meme-able" for looking like he’d rather be anywhere else than a red carpet. The "Disappointed Cillian Murphy" meme exists because he often looks like he’s dissociating during junkets. He’s a guy who lives in Ireland, doesn't use much technology, and treats acting like a 9-to-5 job before going home to his family.
Billie Eilish, despite being one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, carries that same energy. She’s been vocal about her struggles with fame, her desire for privacy, and her tendency to feel overwhelmed by the "noise" of the industry.
When they interacted at the 2024 Oscars—where Cillian won Best Actor for Oppenheimer and Billie won Best Original Song for "What Was I Made For?"—it felt like two "outsiders" winning the whole game. They both represent a shift in celebrity culture: you can be incredibly successful without playing the traditional "Hollywood" socialite game.
What This Means for Fans
So, are they best friends? Probably not. They move in different circles and live on different continents. But the mutual respect is clearly there.
If you're looking to channel that "Ocean Eyes" energy or dive deeper into their rare overlaps, here’s how to stay in the loop:
- Watch the "Together for Palestine" video: It's one of the few times you'll see them aligned on a specific global issue.
- Check out the Palm Springs 2024 footage: Search for the Extra TV clip. It’s the purest example of Billie’s "distracted" moment.
- Follow the Oscar lore: Both stars were the "darlings" of the 2024 awards season, and their red carpet paths crossed more than once.
At the end of the day, the Billie Eilish and Cillian Murphy "connection" is a perfect example of how fan culture can turn small, human moments into a whole narrative. Whether the song was written about him or not doesn't really matter anymore—in the eyes of the internet, they'll always be linked by those blue eyes and a shared love for staying out of the spotlight.
Next Steps for You:
To see the full impact of their recent work, look up the "Together For Palestine" benefit concert details or watch Billie's full Chicken Shop Date interview to hear the "Ocean Eyes" story in her own words.