Cillian Murphy Reflects on Helen McCrory While Rewatching ‘Peaky Blinders’

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Cillian Murphy, known for his portrayal of Tommy Shelby in the acclaimed series ‘Peaky Blinders,’ shared his experience of rewatching the show ahead of the upcoming film ‘The Immortal Man.’ In a recent interview, the Oscar-winning actor discussed the challenges he faced while revisiting the six-season drama that concluded in 2022.

Murphy noted that it was necessary for him to watch the series again to ensure both his performance and the overall quality of the show met his standards. ‘Since I started producing — I was a producer on ‘Peaky’ — you kind of have to. It kind of takes the curse off of it. It was very nice watching it because it was actually quite a good show,’ he explained.

However, the rewatch was bittersweet for Murphy, particularly due to the loss of his co-star Helen McCrory, who played Polly Gray. McCrory passed away in 2021, leaving a profound impact on the cast and crew. ‘It was also quite heartbreaking, you know, because I was watching Helen McCrory, and we lost her,’ Murphy reflected. The memory of her performance resonated strongly as he prepared for the film.

As he reviewed the episodes, Murphy also focused on the elements of the show he wanted to amplify for the upcoming film. ‘You can distance yourself from it and look at and say, “Right, that’s the atmosphere we want. That’s the look we need, that’s the silhouette, and that’s the energy we need from it.” We need to turn it up for the movie, obviously,’ he said.

While details about ‘The Immortal Man’ remain under wraps, it is expected to introduce new characters portrayed by notable actors including Rebecca Ferguson, Barry Keoghan, and Tim Roth. The film will explore how these characters interact with the Shelby family, continuing the legacy of old-school gangsters when it premieres on Netflix in 2025.