Residence: London

Caught our eye: In 28 Days Later... (out now from Fox Searchlight)

What's next: Chekhov's The Seagull in Edinburgh, Scotland; Intermission; Girl With a Pearl Earring; Cold Mountain

From legal eagle to zombie fighter: Murphy was studying law when he was cast in a play in his hometown of Cork, Ireland. "I just decided to forgo the law career, 'cause I wasn't enjoying it anyway and acting was a great life," he says. Murphy appeared in smaller films like Disco Pigs before landing the breakthrough role of Jim, who battles infected zombies in post-apocalyptic England in 28 Days Later..., the latest from Trainspotting director Danny Boyle. "The script has such a classic character arc," Murphy says. "Jim starts as this kid who knows nothing, and then he exacts vengeance at the end. That was a big challenge. The physical stuff was hard, but it's a great release.

Getting famous: He's seen how fellow Irish actor and Intermission co-star Colin Farrell's life has changed. "Fame doesn't really interest me," Murphy says. "I have a lot of other things I do—acting is just one part of my life." He plays music in his spare time.

Diversity rules: After 28 Days Later..., his roles include "the boring love interest" in the Vermeer biopic Girl With a Pearl Earring, a small part in Anthony Minghella's Civil War epic Cold Mountain, and a petty criminal role in the Irish drama Intermission. "Diversity is my main criteria," he says. "I don't want to always be playing the mad young fella, and I don't want to play Irish all the time. The real attraction is the work itself—that the script deserves to be made." In order to keep us guessing, Murphy confesses that his dream roles would be to play "a cowboy and a rock star. Or maybe a cowboy rock star."