Actor Cillian Murphy has reflected on his long association with the character of Tommy Shelby, describing the experience of portraying the Peaky Blinders protagonist for over a decade as something unique that he may never experience again.
Murphy first played the ambitious Birmingham gang leader in the BBC series Peaky Blinders in 2013, a role that would go on to define his career for more than 13 years.
‘A unique experience’
Speaking about the character, Murphy said playing Tommy Shelby over such a long period has been deeply rewarding and unlike anything else in his career at a recent press conference, as reported by The Independent.
He described the experience as something he will likely “never experience again,” highlighting how rare it is for an actor to inhabit a character for so many years across both television and film.
Murphy’s performance as the calculating gang leader became one of the defining elements of the series, helping turn Peaky Blinders into a global cultural phenomenon.
The story continues on the big screen
Murphy has reprised the role in the feature film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, which serves as a continuation of the hit television drama.
The film is set years after the events of the series and follows Tommy Shelby as he returns from exile during the turmoil of World War II.
The project premiered in Birmingham in early March 2026 before arriving in select cinemas and later heading to streaming on Netflix.
Murphy has described the film as the “natural conclusion” to the character’s story after six seasons of television.
A role that defined a decade
Created by Steven Knight, Peaky Blinders follows the rise of a crime family in post-World War I Birmingham, with Tommy Shelby at the centre of its political and criminal power struggles.
Over the years, Murphy’s portrayal of Shelby, marked by icy composure, sharp intelligence and moral ambiguity, became one of the most recognisable performances in modern television.
With the film bringing closure to the character’s arc, Murphy’s comments underline the emotional weight of leaving behind a role that has been a major part of his life for more than a decade.
