Irish actor Cillian Murphy has described his extensive tenure as Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders as a role he will “never experience again,” reflecting on 13 years embodying the iconic gangster.
The Cork-born star led the acclaimed crime drama for nearly a decade, portraying the ruthless leader of the Birmingham-based Shelby family. While the series concluded in 2022, Murphy is set to reprise his role in the forthcoming spin-off film, The Immortal Man, which will see Shelby drawn back from self-imposed exile amidst the turmoil of the Second World War.
Speaking at a recent press conference, the 49-year-old actor expressed immense pride in the show’s enduring legacy. “I feel really, really proud of the work. It’s nuts that it’s been so long. The end of 2012 is when we shot the original series,” he stated.
“So many people have watched it, and it’s become so beloved, so I just feel immensely proud of it.” He elaborated on the unique depth gained from such a long-running character: “I think the luxury of having played (Tommy Shelby) for so long is that all the research is kind of done, you know? You’ve got like 13 years there. You’ve lived it alongside him, and also you’ve kind of aged alongside him. It’s kind of unique. I’ll never experience that again, and it’s really unusual and gratifying to have that opportunity to play a character like that.”
The upcoming film will delve into the complex relationship between Tommy Shelby and his abandoned illegitimate son, Erasmus “Duke” Shelby, played by fellow Irish actor Barry Keoghan.
Murphy explained the necessity of a compelling narrative for the film’s creation: “In order for us to conclude (the series) with a film, it needed to justify itself. Ultimately, that comes down to the script.”
He added, “The main sort of thematic drive of the show has always been family, if we continued with that and made it a father and son story and introduced Duke in that manner then we knew we were on the right track – and off we went.”
Murphy offered insight into Tommy’s state at the beginning of The Immortal Man, noting his withdrawal from the world and personal struggles.
He highlighted how the wartime setting challenges the character’s core beliefs: “What do you actually believe in? What do you actually stand for, aside from illegal bookmaking and racketeering and making money and buying houses and abandoning children and abandoning wives, what do you actually stand for? And then he figures it out. And I think he begins – towards the end of the film – to really realise what he actually stands for.”
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The original Peaky Blinders television drama, chronicling the Birmingham-based crime family, first premiered on the BBC in 2013. Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is scheduled for release on Netflix from March 20.
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