Murphy in awe of Broken co-star

Child actress Eloise Laurence is "astonishing" in new film Broken, her co-star Cillian Murphy has revealed.

Eloise plays an 11-year-old schoolgirl who witnesses a brutal attack on a neighbour in the movie, which also stars Tim Roth.

Cillian said of his young co-star: "She's astonishing. She's really something. She carries the whole film - it's her film, she sings the songs in the movie as well.

"It's a tribute to the director, Rufus Norris, he just waited and waited until he found the right girl and she just lights up the whole screen, so I predict great things for her."

Red Lights actor Cillian plays a teacher in the film - an occupation which runs in his family.

"My parents and grandfather and aunts and uncles are (teachers), so I guess it had to come out some time!" he said.

"I have a lot of respect for teachers. I think it's a very poorly paid but hugely important job. A good teacher can change your life, but I also know how kids can destroy a teacher's life so I know from both sides what it's like. It's nice to actually play a teacher."

And father-of-two Cillian, 36, said the roles he gets offered are changing as he grows older.

"I do think as you get older people start saying, 'Now you can play a dad' and I am a dad myself, so that's a new development, but I think men have it easier than women do in this industry for sure," he added.