A brief scene from the latest trailer of the upcoming movie 28 Years Later, set to release on June 20, 2025, had fans buzzing with excitement when an emaciated zombie that they believed to be none other than Cillian Murphy—the star of 2002’s 28 Days Later—appeared on screen.

Fans’ theories were squashed, however, as the true identity of the creature surfaced earlier today (December 12). It’s not Murphy, but art dealer and model Angus Neill, who was personally cast by the movie’s director, Danny Boyle, for his striking appearance.

Neill’s gaunt features and fragile frame made him ideal for the role, a fact that he personally confirmed in an interview. 

“Danny told me he’d always had me in mind for the role,” said Neill. “So we met up, hit it off, and I agreed to take part,” he said.

The zombie that fans theorized to be Cillian Murphy in 28 Years Later’s trailer is not him, but a model specifically selected by the director for his gaunt features

Image credits: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis / Getty

Neill, interestingly enough, is a model in the catalog of a storied modeling agency called UGLY Enterprises in London, which dates back to 1969.

The agency’s motto states, “We like our women fat and our men geeky; we like the extremely tall and the shockingly small.”

Image credits: Lionsgate Movies

Far from what the cheeky name might suggest, the agency specializes in what it describes as “character modeling,” going beyond commonly accepted notions of what’s beautiful and desirable to provide a catalog of models with diverse features.

“Our philosophy is simple. Any beauty can be airbrushed, but we want our models to have true character,” their site states.

Image credits: UGLY Models

Neill’s profile proudly displays his skeletal figure, with the contours of his bones protruding from underneath his skin, almost as if no muscle is present. 

He stands at 6’2 and has a 32-inch chest, a 13-inch collar, and a 28-inch waist.

“On set, he has an extraordinary ability to hypnotize you, and working with him on the film was a very, very intense experience,” Neill said to The Guardian of his experience with the film’s director, Danny Boyle.

Fans refused to believe that the zombie wasn’t Murphy’s character despite the model’s statements

Image credits: ONE Media

The reveal of the zombie’s true identity left many fans discouraged, as they had hoped to see a return of Murphy’s character in one way or another in the upcoming film. 

Some fans appeared to be dealing with the stages of grief, as some were in straight denial and others left comments bargaining, unwilling to give up hope.

“Alright, this is wild. They made the most Cillian Murphy-looking guy the focused zombie in the trailer?” a fan asked.

Image credits: memospo

“Because Murphy would have cost too much money. Could still be the same character, though,“ another theorized.

“Wait, I’m confused… so they used CGI to make him look like Cillian?“ said one fan, unable to accept the truth.

“Nice try, buddy. We know Cillian when we see him,“ another stated, unwilling to believe the model’s words.

Image credits: Variety

Cillian Murphy has yet to be confirmed to appear on-screen in 28 Years Later. While he is serving as an executive producer for the film, there’s no official word about his return as Jim, the character he portrayed in 28 Days Later. 

However, given the storyline’s continuity and Murphy’s connection to the original film, his character could appear in future installments, especially since 28 Years Later is planned to be the first in a new trilogy.

“Where did they find a real life zombie?” joked one fan, as others were impressed by the model’s unique looks

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