Thomas Shelby Role Was Nearly Cast Without Cillian Murphy as Stephen Knight Revealed His First Choice

It’s hard to picture anyone else playing Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders, but it turns out Cillian Murphy wasn’t the creator’s first choice.

The Irish actor became famous worldwide for his role as the ruthless Birmingham gang leader, but showrunner Steven Knight originally considered another actor for the part.

Thomas Shelby is a tough character. He’s the head of a crime gang in 1920s and ’30s Birmingham and a war veteran who was deeply affected by his experiences in World War I. Murphy transformed himself physically and mentally for the role.

“I’m not the most imposing of individuals in my own life, so I go to the gym and lift things and put them down again,” Murphy told Vulture. “I dropped the level of Tommy’s voice. Then there’s the cigarettes, of course.”

Murphy also perfected the Brummie accent and cut his hair into the signature Peaky Blinders style. Despite his efforts, Knight initially had doubts about whether Murphy had the right physical presence.

“There was a bit of convincing needed,” Murphy said in an interview with The Guardian. “Initially, there may have been some doubts about whether I had the requisite physicality, which I understand. I’m not the most physically imposing individual.”

Knight revealed in Esquire that he was originally considering Jason Statham for the role. “I met them both in LA to talk about the role and opted for Jason,” Knight said. “One of the reasons was because physically in the room Jason is Jason. Cillian, when you meet him, isn’t Tommy, obviously, but I was stupid enough not to understand that.”

Eventually, Knight was convinced to cast Murphy. He later admitted he was impressed by how much Murphy could transform into Tommy Shelby on screen. “He can transform himself to the extent that you see on the screen now, where if you meet him in the street, it’s a totally different human being,” Knight told Esquire.

Now, it’s almost impossible to imagine anyone else as Thomas Shelby, a testament to Murphy’s dedication and talent.

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