Peaky Blinders cast: Where have you seen the stars of the BBC crime drama before? Details explored 

Before Peaky Blinders turned its cast into global icons, most of its stars were already quietly building impressive careers across film and television. From indie British dramas and prestige stage work to Hollywood blockbusters and cult TV favorites, the faces of the Shelby family and their allies came with serious acting mileage long before razor blades met flat caps.

Here’s where you might have seen the cast of Peaky Blinders before they took over Birmingham and your screen.

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Who plays whom in Peaky Blinders?

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Cillian Murphy as Thomas "Tommy" Shelby

Tommy Shelby is the lead character of the show and the leader of the group. A war survivor from Small Heath, he builds the Peaky Blinders with sharp instincts, sharper suits, and a brain that never switches off. His personal relationships and past experiences frequently influence his decisions. Every victory costs him something personal. Tommy is a skilled and intelligent leader, often burdened by the consequences of his actions. By the end, he stands as a tragic figure shaped by war, guilt, and a relentless survival instinct.

Cillian Murphy has moved from indie films to blockbusters with ease, working with Christopher Nolan while still choosing risky, character-driven roles. He is known for his work on The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, Dunkirk, A Quiet Place Part II, and Oppenheimer, the last of which earned him an Academy Award.

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Sam Neill as Chief Inspector/Major Chester Campbell

Chester Campbell is hired by Winston Churchill on the show and arrives in Birmingham to recover stolen guns and crush the Peaky Blinders by any means necessary. He hides violence behind authority, manipulating, threatening, and crossing legal lines without hesitation. In series two, his reign ends brutally when Polly Gray confronts him and pulls the trigger, cutting short his twisted sense of justice. In the first season, he is a primary antagonist.

Sam Neill is known for his work on My Brilliant Career, The Piano, Event Horizon, and The Hunt for Red October. Global fame followed with Jurassic Park, where he played Dr. Alan Grant across three decades. On television, he appeared in The Tudors, Merlin, Rick and Morty, among others.

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Helen McCrory as Elizabeth Pollyanna "Polly" Gray, née Shelby

Polly Gray is the spine of the Shelby family. While the men fight wars, she keeps the business alive, balancing numbers, bloodlines, and brutal decisions with calm authority. She guides Tommy, protects the family, and is a central character in the show.

Helen McCrory played Cherie Blair in The Queen and The Special Relationship, Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, and is also known for her work on Skyfall, Hugo, and Penny Dreadful.

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Paul Anderson as Arthur Shelby Jr.

Arthur Shelby Jr. is the eldest Shelby on the show and carries the war inside him, swinging between devotion, rage, faith, and addiction. Arthur often defers to Tommy’s leadership and prioritizes the family’s interests over his own.

Paul Anderson has appeared in The Revenant as the brutal Mr. Anderson and played Sebastian Moran in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

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Annabelle Wallis as Grace Shelby, née Burgess

Grace Shelby enters Peaky Blinders as a barmaid with a secret and a steady aim. Working undercover for the police, she gets close to Tommy Shelby and falls for him in the process. Their love becomes passionate and volatile, with her carrying Tommy’s child and choosing him over her duty. Their brief romance ends violently when an assassin kills her, turning Grace into one of Tommy’s deepest, most heartbreaking memories.

Annabelle Wallis played Jane Seymour in The Tudors before breaking hearts as Grace in Peaky Blinders. Her film work spans X-Men: First Class, Annabelle, The Mummy, Tag, Malignant, and Silent Night.

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Joe Cole as John Michael “Johnny” Shelby

Tommy Shelby’s younger brother and one of his most dependable lieutenants, John Shelby is a war veteran and full-blooded Blinder. He lives loud, fights fast, and loves his family harder than his own safety. He backs Tommy without hesitation and never softens his edges, even when married life tries to slow him down.

Joe Cole broke out as Luke in Skins before proving his range in Peaky Blinders. He starred in A Prayer Before Dawn, Black Mirror: Hang the DJ, Gangs of London, and Against the Ice.

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Finn Cole as Michael Gray

Michael Gray enters the Shelby world as Polly’s lost son and Tommy’s cautious recruit. He starts on the legal side of the business, sharp and ambitious, believing order can tame chaos, but Polly’s death shatters that belief. Convinced Tommy caused it, Michael turns resentment into strategy, cutting ties with the family and choosing power over blood.

Finn Cole rose to prominence as Michael Gray but is also known for starring as Joshua Cody in Animal Kingdom. He has also worked on Slaughterhouse Rulez, Dreamland, Here Are the Young Men, F9, Locked In, and Last Breath.

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Tom Hardy as Alfie Solomons

Alfie Solomons is a Camden gangster who leads the Jewish gangs with sermons that sound unhinged but hide ruthless intelligence. Alfie Solomons is a cunning Camden gangster who forms alliances with Tommy when it suits his interests and acts unpredictably.

Tom Hardy is known for his roles in Bronson, Warrior, Locke, Mad Max: Fury Road, and earned an Oscar nomination for The Revenant. He worked repeatedly with Christopher Nolan on Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, and Dunkirk. On television, he led Taboo and appeared in Band of Brothers.

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Who else stars in Peaky Blinders?

Apart from the main members, Peaky Blinders is led by an ensemble cast, which includes,

• Iddo Goldberg as Freddie Thorne, who is a communist, World War I veteran, and Ada Shelby’s husband.
• Sophie Rundle as Ada Thorne, the only sister of the Shelby brothers.
• Ned Dennehy as Charlie Strong, who is a boatyard owner and an uncle figure to the Shelby family.
• Benjamin Zephaniah as Jeremiah Jesus, a preacher and trusted ally of the Peaky Blinders.
• David Dawson as Roberts, who is Billy Kimber’s accountant.
• Andy Nyman, Richard McCabe, and Neil Maskell as Winston Churchill, a British statesman influencing events behind the scenes.
• Charlie Creed-Miles as Billy Kimber, a Birmingham crime boss controlling the racetracks.
• Noah Taylor as Darby Sabini, who is an Italian gang leader operating in Camden Town.
• Charlotte Riley as May Carleton, a wealthy widow and racehorse owner.
• Natasha O'Keeffe as Lizzie Shelby, Tommy Shelby’s second wife and the mother of Ruby Shelby.
• Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Esme Shelby-Lee, John Shelby’s wife and a member of the Lee clan.
• Gaite Jansen as Tatiana Petrovna, a Russian princess involved with Tommy Shelby.
• Alexander Siddig as Ruben Oliver, an artist and Polly Gray’s romantic partner.
• Packy Lee as Johnny Dogs, Tommy Shelby’s closest Gypsy ally.
• Paddy Considine as Father John Hughes, a priest tied to British intelligence operations.
• Adrien Brody as Luca Changretta, a New York mafioso seeking revenge against the Shelbys.
• Aidan Gillen as Aberama Gold, a gypsy hitman and Polly Gray’s lover.
• Anya Taylor-Joy as Gina Gray, is Michael Gray’s American wife.
• Charlene McKenna as Captain Swing, who is an IRA leader.
• Conrad Khan as Duke Shelby, Tommy Shelby’s firstborn son.
• Emmett J. Scanlan as Billy Grade, a singer and informant connected to the Peaky Blinders.

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Peaky Blinders is streaming on Netflix.