Cillian Murphy on Life After Tommy Shelby: “A Gift… and a Burden”

For more than a decade, Cillian Murphy lived in the shadow of one of television’s most magnetic antiheroes. As Tommy Shelby — the calculating leader of the Shelby family in Peaky Blinders — the Irish actor built a career-defining role that has shaped both his professional path and public persona. Now, at 49, Murphy is finally opening up about what those years meant to him — and the nine words that left a BBC interviewer momentarily speechless: “I’m not a psychopathic gangster,” he laughed.

“I think people forget that Tommy is a creation,” Murphy said with a wry smile. “I’m nothing like him.”

A Role That Defined a Career

Murphy describes playing Tommy Shelby as “a gift and a privilege” — but also admits it was at times “a burden.” Portraying the hard-edged gang leader for six seasons meant embodying quiet menace and emotional isolation over the better part of 25 years. “To grow older with a character, you don’t really get to do that,” he told the BBC. “That’s the joy of long-form television.”

Peaky Blinders, created by Steven Knight, ended its television run in 2022 after becoming an unexpected global phenomenon. “We never anticipated that the TV show would have that impact, would be so adored and have that longevity,” Murphy reflected. “It is defining.”

The actor credits the series’ success to “a kind of magic formula,” with writing at its core but also timing: “It was a moment in time.” Despite the show’s demanding schedule, Murphy maintained a diverse career, taking on a range of roles while continuing to return to Shelby’s world.

A Return to the Shelby Legacy

Though the series is over, Tommy Shelby’s story isn’t quite finished. Murphy has wrapped filming on The Immortal Man, a Netflix feature that will conclude the Peaky Blinders saga. The film, written by Knight, places Shelby amid the dangerous upheaval of World War II as Britain faced the threat of Nazi Germany before the United States entered the conflict.

Murphy remained tight-lipped about specifics: “I think it’s better to keep it under wraps, keep it a surprise,” he teased. The film finished production in December 2024, but a release date has yet to be announced.

Beyond the Flat Cap

Since stepping away from the streets of Birmingham, Murphy’s career has soared. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and took on acclaimed roles in Small Things Like These and the animated adaptation of Kensuke’s Kingdom.

Now, he’s promoting Steve, a moving drama set in 1996 about a head teacher navigating the challenges of a boys’ reform school while confronting his own mental health struggles. Murphy calls it “a love letter to teachers,” whom he describes as “custodians of the next generation.”

Early viewers have praised the film’s honest look at the lasting pressures on young people and educators. “Even though it’s set three decades ago, it’s just demonstrating that these issues are always there,” Murphy said.

A Decade That Changed Everything

For Murphy, saying goodbye to Tommy Shelby is bittersweet. The role gave him international recognition but also demanded years of inhabiting a dark and complex character. Now, with a historic Oscar win and a diverse slate of projects, he seems ready to step firmly into the next chapter — without the flat cap and the cigarettes.

“I’ve been lucky,” he reflected. “I’ve been able to disappear into different people and different worlds. Tommy was one of them. But he’s not me — and never was.”

Steve is currently in cinemas and will debut on Netflix next month. The Immortal Man release date is yet to be announced.