Peaky Blinders cast and character guide: Who played whom in the hit BBC period crime drama?

Much of Steven Knight's BBC period crime series Peaky Blinders owes its success to its talented ensemble cast, whose flawless performances turned it into the streaming hit it is today.

Based on the real-life gang that was active from the 1880s to the 1920s, Peaky Blinders follows the rise of the Shelby family, who flourished under the cunning leadership of Tommy Shelby.

Knight's crime series features a talented ensemble of BAFTA, Academy Award, and Emmy Award winners. Here is the complete cast and character guide for the show.

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Peaky Blinders cast: All about the Shelby family members in the period crime drama

Steven Knight's crime series is centred around the Shelby family in Small Heath, who were famously known as the Peaky Blinders, a notorious group of gangsters and criminals. Here are all the main and supporting cast members who made up the Shelby family on-screen:

1) Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby: Tommy Shelby is the head of the family and the leader of the titular group, who makes all the major decisions about his family. Throughout six seasons, Tommy rose from a ruthless gangster to a respected politician, while attaining social mobility for the Shelby family.

Academy Award-winning actor Cillian Murphy certainly needs no introduction and led Peaky Blinders as a breakthrough role in his career. A frequent collaborator on Christopher Nolan's movie, Murphy also starred in his 2023 biographical film Oppenheimer.

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2) Paul Anderson as Arthur Shelby Jr.: The eldest son of the Shelby family, Arthur is Tommy's hot-headed brother, who uses his muscle strength to maintain the Peaky Blinders' power in Birmingham. Anderson is most famously known for his roles in Top Boy and the 2015 film The Revenant.

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3) Helen McCrory as Aunt Polly: One of the only family members who can influence Tommy Shelby, Aunt Polly is the badass matriarch of the Shelby household. She remained a constant support to the Peaky Blinders up until she died in the Season 5 finale. McCrory is most famous for playing Narcissa Malfoy in the last three Harry Potter films. The actress passed away on 16 April 2021, while fighting breast cancer.

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4) Joe Cole as John Shelby: The third-youngest Shelby brother, John was known for his naivety and mostly lived in his elder brothers' shadows. He was murdered by Luca Changretta's men in the Season 4 premiere. Joe Cole is most famous for his roles in Gangs of London, Black Mirror, and A Small Light.

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5) Sophie Rundle as Ada Thorne: The only Shelby sister, Ada, went against her brothers and married Freddie. However, after her husband's death in Season 2, she joined the family business in the latter seasons. English actress Sophie Rundle is most famously known for her work in Bodyguard and The Bletchley Circle.

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6) Finn Cole as Michael Gray: Aunt Polly's biological son, Tommy introduced Michael to the Shelby family in Peaky Blinders Season 2. Michael later transformed into a major antagonist and was killed in the series finale by Tommy. Finn Cole has previously appeared in Animal Kingdom.

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7) Annabelle Wallis as Grace Shelby: A former undercover agent, Grace eventually fell in love with Tommy and the couple married in Season 3. However, she tragically dies after she takes a bullet meant for her husband. Wallis is most famously known for her work in Silent Night and The Tudors.

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Other Peaky Blinders cast throughout the seasons

Peaky Blinders featured many A-list actors throughout its six seasons, who appeared as menacing enemies to Tommy Shelby. Here is the complete list:

1) Sam Neill (Untamed, Alcatraz) as Chief Inspector in Season 1: A corrupt policeman from Belfast

2) Tom Hardy (MobLand) as Alfie Solomons: A Jewish gangster

3) Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) as Luca Changretta in Season 4: A New York Mafia who declares a vendetta against Peaky Blinders

4) Sam Claflin (Me Before You) as Oswald Mosley in Seasons 5 and 6: A fascist politician

5) Natasha O'Keeffe (The Wheel of Time) as Lizzie: an ex-prostitute who eventually marries Tommy

6) Aimee-Ffion Edwards (Slow Horses) as Esme Shelby: John Shelby's wife

7) Kate Phillips (Wolf Hall) as Linda Shelby: Arthur Shelby's wife

8) Iddo Goldberg (Salem) as Freddie Thorne: Ada's husband

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