Happy Sad Confused Cillian Murphy
Oct 10, 2019
Cillian Murphy, the charismatic Irish actor known for his role as Thomas Shelby on Peaky Blinders and collaborations with visionary directors like Danny Boyle and Christopher Nolan, opens up about his unique career journey. He discusses the origins of Peaky Blinders and the deep psychological layers of his character, Tommy Shelby. Cillian shares insights on his love for music's impact on storytelling, the evolution of working with talented actors, and the memorable moments from his early days, including auditioning for Batman and his admiration for iconic films.
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Origins Rooted In Family And Place
- Cillian Murphy describes how Peaky Blinders began from Stephen Knight's personal family stories and regional pride in Birmingham.
- He says the show purposely mythologizes the British working class and explores broken post‑WWI characters trying to rebuild life.
Slowly Unveiled Character Layers
- Murphy explains Stephen Knight reveals Tommy's layers slowly, peeling back the character each season.
- He highlights the show's arc aims to redeem Tommy as "a good man who does bad things to a good end."
Work Where You Can Experiment
- Murphy stresses that the director creates the environment for actors to take risks and "go big."
- Seek filmmakers who provide a safety net so you can experiment and recalibrate when things don't work.