Cillian Murphy Asked Barry Keoghan to Play His Son in Peaky Blinders

Cillian Murphy revealed that Barry Keoghan’s casting in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man began with a simple Father’s Day text. During his appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers on March 9, Murphy explained that Keoghan reached out to him on the holiday, prompting Murphy to ask if he wanted to play his son in the upcoming film.

“He had texted me on Father’s Day. Nobody had let me know it was Father’s Day,” Murphy joked. “So I texted him back and said, ‘Do you want to play my son in Peaky Blinders?’ And he said, ‘Yeah.’ He was into it.”

Tommy Shelby Returns

Murphy reprises his iconic role as Tommy Shelby, the leader of the Peaky Blinders, while Keoghan plays his grown-up son Duke Shelby. The character was previously portrayed by Conrad Khan in the series. According to Netflix, the film follows Duke as he becomes embroiled in a Nazi plot, forcing his estranged father to return to Birmingham to save both his family and his nation.

Longtime Friendship

Murphy and Keoghan first worked together on Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk in 2017. Murphy praised Keoghan at the time as an “extraordinary talent,” and the two have remained close friends ever since.

Speaking about his career, Murphy reflected on playing Tommy Shelby for over a decade. “I respond to the fallibility of everyone and the fact most people are trying to do the right thing,” he said. “Most of us are struggling to be good but just get derailed, make mistakes, before getting back on course.”

Release Details

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is currently playing in limited theaters and will stream globally on Netflix beginning March 20. The film marks a highly anticipated continuation of the beloved series, blending historical drama with the Shelby family’s enduring legacy.