MFF Random List – Ranking the 85 Times That Murphy “Murph” Cooper is Mentioned in Interstellar

The name Murphy Cooper (or just “Murph” or Murphy”) is muttered 85 times during Interstellar’s 169-minute running time. It’s a lot, but it’s not the number of times the name is spoken that’s important, it’s how the name is said. Matthew McConaughey, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, John Lithgow, Jeff Hephner, Michael Caine, Timothée Chalamet, and Cassey Affleck act their faces off when they say “Murph,” and it’s one of the most memorable movie names in recent memory and that ‘s why I decided to rank all the mentions of “Murph”

In Jonathan Nolan’s original Interstellar script, Murphy “Murph” Cooper was supposed to be Joseph “Coop” Cooper’s (Matthew McConaughey) son, but when Christopher Nolan got ahold of it, Murph became Cooper’s daughter. I like the switch because Mackenzie Foy, Jessica Chastain and Ellen Bursyyn are all wonderful as Murph, and the father/daughter relationship still feels like a breath of fresh air. In an interview with Dazed, Chastain said” Chris (Nolan) was able to use his personal experience of having a daughter to say, ‘Wait a minute, what about the father/daughter relationship?

Matthew McConaughey and Mackenzie Foy are so good together that when Coop takes off for some world saving shenanigans – you’re kind of pissed at him. Who cares about the world? You need to stay with Murph. Their relationship is a big reason why Interstellar works so well, and whenever Cooper says “Murph” you know that he loves his kid (and Tom) an incredible amount. It’s nice. 

In honor of “Murph,” I rewatched the movie and pulled the 85 times her name is mentioned (Murphy Cooper –  Murph – Murphy – Murphy’s Law when the phrase is lobbed at her) 

Traditionally, it’s best to save the best for last, but this list is starting with the elite. It’s worth noting that none of these “Murphs” are subpar or lazy. They are all totally fine, and if they’re ranked low it’s because they didn’t make audiences cry enough tears to create their own water planet. 

Quick Note – The timestamps might not match up for everyone because they were pulled from my Vudu digital copy. Because of this I found most of the top ranked “Murphs” in YouTube clips. 

ICYMI – This list starts with my favorite “Murph” mentions and works its way down.

1. “Aw, Murph…” (40:04) –  Between Murph’s head turn and McC’s reaction, this is a powerful “Murph” – YouTube Clip – 2:42 
2. “Make him stay, Murph” (02:25:41) – The reason I picked this “Murph” is because it’s an absolute gut punch. It’s drenched in desperation and he goes hard on the “mURph” part of her name. YouTube clip – 48 seconds
3. Murph! (02:22:26) – The way Cooper screams “Murph” hits hard. There’s a lot of emotion in it. – YouTube clip – 2:34
4. “Murph!” (02:22:05) – I like the way Cooper screams “MUUURRPPHH.”  It’s easily the most elongated pronunciation of her name – YouTube Clip – 2:12 
5. “Don’t let me leave, Murph!” (02:25:51)  – The resignation in Cooper’s voice makes this a classic “Murph. – YouTube Clip – 56 seconds
6. “Don’t let me leave, Murph!” (02:25:45) – I’m pretty sure 98% of people who watched Interstellar were either thinking or yelling “Yeah! Don’t let him leave Murph.” ” Youtube clip – 51 seconds
7. “Murph is a bright spark.” (54:26) – I love how Caine says “MURPH” – YouTube Clip – 45 seconds
8.  “Well, this is, uh, Murphy Cooper we’re talking about.” (02:36:43) – Hearing that she became a boss is cool. YouTube clip – 1:53
9. Sorry Murph Go Back to Bed” – (01:56) – First “Murph” – Sets a nice tone. 
10. “He’s coming, Murph!” (02:31:18) – The way Topher Grace says “Murph” really works for me. Towards the end of the movie Topher is relegated to yelling “Murph” a lot. I like that he found a new way to say it. – YouTube clip – 7:01. Also, when he picks up the tire iron it makes him a first ballot Nolan Side Character Hall of Fame inductee 
11. “Don’t make me leave like this, Murph!” (40:19) – Heartbreaking – YouTube clip – 3:01
12. “It was me, Murph” (02:40:35) – Reunion Murph! – Clip – 40 seconds in
13. “Hey Murph” (01:21:47) – McC works magic here. It’s a nice whisper ‘Murph”
14. “Murph” (38:54) – McC whispers “Murph.” It’s so quiet that closed-captioning doesn’t pick it up. 
15. “Well, I’m here now, Murph” (02:41:22) – Yes you are!
16. “Murph” (01:31:35) – Michael Caine lets out a sad little “Murph.” – YouTube Clip – 11 seconds
17. “Forgive me Murph” (01:32:22) – Another sad Murph while a little extra “MurPH” on it
18. “Murphy” (40:11) – McC with tear-filled eyes saying “Murphy” quietly is wonderful
19. “You have to talk to me, Murph” (37:27) – I like how tired McC sounds. 
20. “Murph, they chose me. You saw. You’re the one who led me to them” (38:38) – He lays some guilt on Murph for guiding him to NASA
21. “Murph, don’t… Don’t make me leave like this.” (40:15) – Super sad. It’s getting ugly
22. “Come on, Murph!” (40:17) – Solid voice quiver
23. “Hello Murph” (54:05) – Caine goes heavy on the “Murfff” aspect of her name
24. “It only has to work once…..Murph.” (1:23:50) – Caine lets a second go by before he says “Murph.” Neat choice. 
25. “Are you calling my life’s work…nonsense, Murph?” (01:24:43) – I like how Caine trails off while saying “Murph.”
26. “Murph” (02:21:52) – A solid out-of-breathe “Murph”
27. “Murph!” (02:22:15) – McC lets loose a pleading “Murph”
28. “Murph! (02:22:26) – A solid “Murph” scream (it’s not quite there yet though)
29. “Make him stay Murph” (02:25:30) – McC is getting the “Murph” pleading ramped up
30. “Murph!”  (02:22:05) –  I love a desperate “Murph”
31. “I asked Murph to say hi.” (55:48) – Soul crushing news from Lithgow
32. “Murph!” 02:22:05) – Another desperate “Murph”
33. “Murphy’s Law” (05:32) – Sarcastic Murph from Chalamet 
34. “Hey, Murph?” (23:52) – McC whispers to wake up Murph
35. “But Murph got into a fistfight with several of her classmates over this.” (12:53) – Murph will throw down!
36. “Murph” (38:58) – Quiet “Murph”
37. “I lied Murph” (01:32:32) – Sad Caine
38. “Murph!” (02:24:08) – Desperate McC “Murphs”
39. “Murph!” (02:24:09) –  We Don’t have time for this – 02:24:09
40. “Come on Murph” (02:24:30) – The desperate “Murphs” blend in a bit.
41. “Murph come on” (02:24:31) – You keep hoping that Murph will hear him.
42. “And your kids know it. Especially Murph.” (16:37) – Lithgow know that Murph is a smart kid
43. “Tell him, Murph. Make him stay” (02:25:24) – Make him stay!
44. “Murphy stole Grandpa’s car” (01:19:33) – I like a full “Murphy”
45. “Well, It’s not very scientific Murph” (03:57) – I appreciate how McC trails off while saying “Murph”
46. “Good, Good, Murph” (01:31:50) – More sad Caine
47. “It’s not Morse, Murph. It’s binary.” (21:40) – A solid “Murph” correction
48. “Murphy’s Law doesn’t mean that something bad will happen.” (06:05) – Making Murph feel better. 
49. “Murphy’s Law?” (06:02) – The rare moment when Murphy says her own name
50. “This thing needs to learn how to adapt Murph” (09:29) – Murph learns a lesson
51. “Get your Butt, back in bed, Murph.” (02:15) – McC loves telling Murph what to do
52. “Murph, get a move on.” (03:31) – First Lithgow “Murph!”
53. “That’s right, Murph.” (38:17) – Sad McC “Murph””
54. “Not at the table, Murph.” (03:37) – Murph is a rebel 
55. “All right, Murph, you want to talk science?” (04:12) – Solid McC trying to be a supportive dad 
56. “All right, Murph, give me a second” (05:15) – The “Murph” isn’t great but I like that McC says “All Right.”
57. “Murph, it is quantifiable. it’s the key!” (02:30:33) – McC loves Murph
58.  “Murph, look at me.” (38:24) – McC spending the final moments with his kid 
59. “What I’ve been doing for Murph, they’re doing for me.” (02:33:46) – Eureka! McC figures things out
60. “What’d you do, Murph?” (05:27) – Sassy Chalamet “Murph”
61. “What’s going on Murph?” (05:56) – Solid wide shot “Murph”
62. “Miss Hanley’s here to talk about Murph.” (11:33) – Decent David Oyelowo “Murph”
63. “Murph is a great kid. She’s really bright.” (11:35) – I like the way Collette Wolfe says “Murf.”
64. “I know what Morse code is, Murph.” (15:10) – Condescending McC “Murph.”
65. “Tom? Murph? Check?” (18:27) – McC very rarely says both names at the same time
66. “Murph, Tom, you guys shut your windows?” (19:24) – McC does the double again
67. “Murph!” (19:30) – Murph leaves her window open….
68. Grandpa will be back in a couple hours, Murph (22:04) – McC would never leave Murph behind
69. “Murph, the fire’s out! Come on!” (02:28:10) – Topher really wants to go
70. “Murph?” (22:22) – MCc tries to find Murph to say goodbye
71. “Murph.”..(23:54) – McC whispers “Murph”
72. “Murph is feeling a little tired. I was wondering if she could take a nap in my office.” (29:37) – Hathaway loves Murph.
73. “Murph.” (36:05)  – A very gentle “Murph” from McC
74. “Tom will be alright, but you gotta make things right with Murph” (37:10) –  Lithgow making sense
75. That’s why I’m here. I’m gonna find a way to tell Murph…(02:30:26) – McC is hopeful!
76. “I don’t think so Murph” (53:54) – Lithgow gives Murph some bad news
77. “Murph was there at the funeral.” (01:20:40) – Affleck Murph
78. “I’m an old man..Murph.” (01:24:59) – Caine lets out a dismissive “Murph”
79. “Is that Murph?” (01:40:55) – Hathaway “Murph”
80. “Murph?” (01:45:04) – Topher askes Murph a question
81. “You tried your best, Murph.” (01:55:42) – Topher lets out a defeated “Murph”
82. “Murph?” (02:19:45) – Topher waits for Murph
83. “Murph, come on!” (02:19:46) – Topher attempting to get Murph’s attention
84. “Murph, I can see his car!” (02:31:15) – Topher is getting worried
85. “Murph have you eaten enough?” (01:29:41) – Off-screen Murph