Robert Downey Jr. raves about Cillian Murphy’s acting chops

Cillian Murphy has the "leadership" quality in his personality to rule the film industry with his fine acting skills, according to Oppenheimer co-star Robert Downey Jr.

In a group conversation with PEOPLE at the 96th Oscar Nominees Luncheon in Beverly Hills, California, the Iron Man star gushed over the Peaky Blinders global sensation, who played the iconic role of Thomas Shelby in the NBC original series.

"You are meant and born to be at the front of big cinematic experiences," Robert, 58, spoke highly about the 47-year-old Irish actor.

Referring to the deviant reception he received at the event, the Endgame: Avengers actor went on to make a quip, "I come in, I get your typical, 'It's Tony Stark, but now he's bald.' Cillian comes in, people start standing up. Chris [Nolan] comes in, everyone's on their feet."

Murphy netted his firsts-ever nomination at the upcoming Academy Awards in the Best Actor category for his performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Meanwhile, Downey Jr., 58, has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor as he played the role of Atomic Energy Commission chairman Lewis Strauss.

The duo's co-star Emily Blunt joined in the same conversation and credited the film’s success to the leading face of the movie by adding, "As much as you like to say, 'This is all of [director] Chris Nolan,' why people are so captivated by this film, but it's you."

Blunt, who starred with Murphy in A Quiet Place Part II, continued, "And you are, like, the quietest conductor of this whole thing."

"You don't mean to be — it's not in your nature to want to lead — but I think that there's something just captivating about you, whether you like it or not, that people are spellbound by," the 40-year-old actress, up for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Kitty Oppenheimer, added.