“I was stupid enough not to understand that”: Cillian Murphy Stole His ‘Peaky Blinders’ Role From Jason Statham With a 5 Word Message to the Show Creator

Irish actor Cillian Murphy is renowned for giving gripping performances on any productions he works on. In the popular television series Peaky Blinders, Tommy Shelby, one of his most well-known and adored parts, played a key role. Critics have praised Murphy for his portrayal of the charismatic gangster, and he has a devoted fan base because of that.

The British drama series Peaky Blinders will keep you fascinated from start to finish. Tommy Shelby comes to life in Peaky Blinders because of Cillian Murphy’s captivating performance. The legendary Shelby crime family is led by Tommy Shelby, who travels the dangerous streets of post-World War I Birmingham, England.
Cillian Murphy in Peaky Blinders

Many people, however, were unaware that Jason Statham was the director’s original choice to play the notorious Tommy Shelby. But how did Cillian Murphy land the key role after that?

Cillian Murphy bagged the role with a 5-word text

Cillian Murphy almost lost the role of Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders to Jason Statham. When meeting with both actors in Los Angeles, the show’s creator, Steven Knight, first preferred Statham due to his physical presence. Knight’s opinion was later altered by Murphy, who messaged him the straightforward reminder “Remember, I’m an actor.”
Jason Statham and Cillian Murphy
Knight admitted in an interview that he had been “stupid” to have made a judgment on Murphy based solely on his appearance. Knight told the publication, he saw them both in Los Angeles to discuss the part and chose Jason. Later, after receiving the text message, he realized that Murphy could completely assume the part because he is a talented actor.”Cillian, when you meet him, isn’t Tommy, obviously, but I was stupid enough not to understand that.”

Knight even acknowledged that it had been wise to choose Murphy for the part. The show’s high point has been Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of Tommy Shelby, after all. It rose to fame as one of the most adored fictional characters ever.

Cillian Murphy’s experience playing the role of Tommy Shelby

The amazing actor Cillian Murphy is best known for playing Tommy Shelby in the hit television series Peaky Blinders. Murphy discussed his experience acting as the gang leader in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly.

Murphy acknowledged that he was concerned at first about playing Tommy Shelby. He was concerned that he wouldn’t be able to accurately portray a character who was physically intimidating and excessively masculine because he had never portrayed one before. He was pulled to the wonderful material and the task of playing a character with such intricacy, though.
Cillian Murphy
Murphy also acknowledged that he often found it challenging to portray Tommy Shelby’s violent character because, in reality, he is not at all violent. However, the way he depicted the character gave it life.