Cillian Murphy: 'I tried a completely different approach for Steve'

Cillian Murphy has revealed he took a "completely different" approach to his role in Steve.

The Oscar-winning star plays the titular character in the new Netflix film, which follows the troubled headteacher of a school for boys with learning difficulties. While Murphy has traditionally preferred to spend months researching and inhabiting the characters he portrays, this time he adopted a new method.

"I tried to take a completely different approach to the whole process for this one, because generally I lock myself away for a long time," he told The Metro. "I research and read like a mad thing, and you're developing an accent and a physicality. I love it, and I really go deep into it, and it's very, very private - I don't talk to people - and then, bit by bit, I begin to share it with the director."

The star continued to explain his fresh approach to Steve, which is inspired by Max Porter's bestselling novel Shy.

Cillian - whose mother and father are retired teachers - decided to be more spontaneous and just "turn up" to the first day of shooting to see what would unfold.

He shared: "I thought I'm just going to turn up and be completely available and completely responsive to what's happening.... I felt the best way to prepare for this is just to be completely present in every moment and try and absorb what's happening to the character as it's happening."

Cillian felt this method embodied his character's unpredictable daily life at the school and would help to convey the stress Steve is under.

He added: "Steve's constantly trying to catch up. Everyone's behind a little bit, emotionally, schedule-wise, funding wise."

Steve, directed by Tim Mielants, is slated to debut on Netflix from 3rd October.