For over a decade, Cillian Murphy brought the fierce and controlled gangster Thomas Shelby to life. Fans know the look well: the low, measured voice, the icy stare, and the calm way he handled a cigarette. These traits made the character unforgettable. But according to the actor, these details were not part of a master plan from the start.
In a recent interview, Cillian Murphy shared new insights into how he built the character over time. He explained that the famous mannerisms of Thomas Shelby did not appear overnight. Instead, they grew slowly during the many years of filming the BBC series.
How Murphy Found Tommy Shelby Voice and Look
The actor spoke about the process of creating the character. He said the key features of Thomas Shelby came together piece by piece. “No, it kinda evolved over the course of the series,” Murphy stated, reflecting on the show’s beginning. He recalled that when Peaky Blinders started filming in 2012, the team was still finding the character’s identity.
Murphy described how he built Tommy from the ground up. He considered the character’s background as a decorated war veteran. This history helped shape the voice. “He was a decorated War veteran, so you had to use all the tricks to kinda drop the voice a little bit,” he explained. The physical appearance also played a huge role. The actor pointed to “the tailoring of the suit, the silhouette, the cap, the cigarettes” as essential parts that developed over time.
He added that the cigarettes became a habit because they were always present, making the action feel natural. This slow build allowed the character to feel real and not forced.
The Gift of Long-Form Storytelling
Murphy believes that working on a long-running television series gave him a rare chance to grow with his character. Unlike a movie where an actor finishes a role in a few months, Peaky Blinders allowed him to return to Thomas Shelby again and again.
“There is something that you can go back to in and out of over the course of a career,” Murphy said. This long timeline gave him the freedom to experiment. He noted that as the show progressed, everyone involved got more confident. “Then you get a bit confident with it, and you get to go a bit deeper. The writer gets a bit more confidence, and filmmakers get a bit more confidence, and the thing begins to evolve and get richer if you are lucky.”
This confidence allowed Steven Knight, the show’s creator, to write more complex stories. It also let Murphy explore deeper emotions and contradictions within Tommy.
The actor told the BBC that playing the character for more than a quarter of his life has been a “gift and privilege.” He called this the “joy of long-form television,” as it lets an actor age with the character.
A Character Built on Hard Work and Empathy
Creating the tough Thomas Shelby was not easy for the actor. Cillian Murphy admitted that the role required a lot of physical work. In earlier interviews, he mentioned that he was “not a tough guy at all” and found this to be the most physically demanding role he ever played. To look the part, he spent weeks in the gym and learned to ride horses.
Despite the character’s violent nature, Murphy always focused on understanding him. He shared that the most important tool for an actor is empathy. “The definition of empathy is to walk in another person’s shoes, and that’s what we do as actors,” he explained. He added that while you do not have to agree with a character, you must never judge them.
This approach helped him show the many sides of Thomas Shelby. While Tommy is a gangster, Murphy made sure viewers could see the trauma from the war and the deep love for his family.
Looking at the Full Journey
The evolution of Thomas Shelby is now complete. The story continues in the new film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. Murphy returns to the role one last time. The movie is now available for audiences to see how the character’s journey ends.
Reflecting on the character’s development, the actor noted how the time and effort shaped the final result. All the small choices—the lowered voice, the specific walk, the look in his eyes—came from years of work. They were not planned from the start. Instead, they grew naturally, just as the actor described: “It kind of evolved.”
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