Actor Portraying Navy SEAL Michael Murphy Felt Pressure Over Role

Actor Taylor Kitsch, who is portraying Patchogue Navy SEAL Michael Murphy in the Lone Survivor film, has said he was nervous awaiting the reaction from Murphy’s father.

According to the New York Daily News, Kitsch couldn’t sleep for days and was bracing to hear from Daniel Murphy after watching a screening of the movie. The film will feature a reenactment of Daniel Murphy's son being killed by Taliban insurgents.

“I knew Daniel was seeing it, so when he wrote me an incredible email the next day, it was more of just a ‘Phew,’” Kitsch said in the report. “I laugh with him now about it...but honestly, I don’t know how I would’ve handled it if he and the family weren’t happy with it.”

Lt. Michael Murphy, of Patchogue, was a part of a four-member SEAL team, and was shot on June 29, 2005 while on duty. Murphy has been posthumously honored with a warship, numerous awards, a previously released film, a memorial park in Ronkonkoma and even a workout named after him.

Maureen Murphy, Murphy’s mother, has not yet seen the full film, leaving during a battle scene.

“When the battle scene started to come up, my son John just tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘Mom you have to leave now,’” Maureen Murphy said in the report. “I went to the lobby to wait and I came back in for the end of the movie.”

The film is currently in limited release and will see nationwide release on Jan. 10. A special screening for friends and family of Michael Murphy took place earlier this month at the Regal Cinemas in Ronkonkoma.

A clip of the film is embedded in the media gallery of this post. Click here for the original report on The New York Daily News.