Cillian Murphy has revealed an update on the future of his Peaky Blinders character Tommy Shelby after his historic Oscars win for Best Actor.
The actor was previously best known for his role as the northern gangster in the BBC drama, but has since received worldwide acclaim for his performance in Oppenheimer.
For months speculation has been rife that creator Stephen Knight has been working on a movie adaptation, but now Cillian has hinted he may never return to his role as Tommy Shelby.
Asked whether he was happy to retire the character of Tommy, he said after the ceremony: ‘I loved playing him. He was exhausting and so wildly different for me that each time going back was kind of a journey.
‘I’m really not sentimental about work. I feel like the next thing is the most exciting thing. And I mean, it was a ten-year period in my life, so it is significant, but I always feel, like, let’s keep moving.’
Cillian Murphy has revealed an update on the future of his Peaky Blinders character Tommy Shelby after his historic Oscars win for Best Actor
Last month, Cillian said he would be happy to reprise his role as Tommy Shelby if Knight were to make a Peaky Blinders movie.
Speaking on Desert Island Discs, he admitted he was ‘relieved’ when the BBC drama ended in 2022 – but is now ‘totally’ on board with a movie adaptation.
Murphy also hinted that the programme’s writer, Steven Knight, had more stories to tell about the Birmingham-based Shelby clan and their criminal activities between the 1880s and 1910s.
He explained: ‘I have always said that if Knight delivers a script that I know he can deliver, because he is such a phenomenal writer, I’ll be there. If we want to watch 50-year-old Tommy Shelby, let’s do it.’
Peaky Blinders launched in 2013 and garnered huge audiences both in Britain and overseas, attracting roles for silver-screen stars such as Tom Hardy and Anya Taylor-Joy.
Cillian was awarded the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer at the 96th Academy Awards.
In his speech Cillian told the star-studded room that he was ‘a very proud Irishman standing here tonight’ before dedicating his win to ‘peacemakers everywhere’.
Fans watching hailed hailed him a ‘true gentleman’ for his ‘heartfelt’ words as he signed off with a nod to his Irish heritage.
‘Go raibh míle maith agaibh,’ he added, which translates to ‘a thousand thank yous’.
The actor was previously best known for his role as the northern gangster in the BBC drama, but has since received acclaim for his performance in Oppenheimer (pictured at the Oscars)
Speaking in the press room after picking up his statuette, Murphy told journalists: ‘I’m in a little bit of a daze, I’m very overwhelmed. I’m very humbled. I’m very grateful and you know, very proud to be Irish standing here today.
‘It’s really really meaningful to me. I don’t know if I said this in my speech, because I can’t remember what I said.’
‘I did want to say that I think in Ireland we are really great at supporting artists and I think we need to continue to support artists and the next generation of actors and directors. I think that’s vitally important. That’s all I have to say.’
When asked if he is ‘content’ about being remembered for his role as atomic bomb scientist J Robert Oppenheimer in the movie, the actor replied: ‘Very content. I mean, you got to move forward, but this has been a huge, huge moment for me.
‘The movie is so special to me, and myself and [director] Chris [Nolan] have such a special relationship.’
‘And I just feel very privileged to be able to continue to work with him and I’m very proud that this is a film that is provocative, and that asks questions, and is challenging, but yet so many people went to see it, so I’m really really proud of it.’
Cillian added of his relationship with director Christopher Nolan: ‘It’s very very special. We have been working together for 20 years. I think he’s the perfect director, he’s an extraordinary writer, he’s an extraordinary director of actors.
‘He presents this film like no one else does in the world, and I just can’t believe my luck. I did a screentest for him when I was a kid, and I thought that would be it and it would just be enough to be in a room with Chris for a couple of hours, and here we are. So, I’m just so humble and thankful.’
When asked if he is ‘content’ about being remembered for his role as atomic bomb scientist J Robert Oppenheimer in the movie, the actor replied: ‘Very content. I mean, you got to move forward, but this has been a huge, huge moment for me.
For months speculation has been rife that creator Stephen Knight has been working on a Peaky Blinders movie, but now Cillian has hinted he may never return to his role as Tommy Shelby
‘The movie is so special to me, and myself and [director] Chris [Nolan] have such a special relationship.’
‘And I just feel very privileged to be able to continue to work with him and I’m very proud that this is a film that is provocative, and that asks questions, and is challenging, but yet so many people went to see it, so I’m really really proud of it.’
Cillian added of his relationship with director Christopher Nolan: ‘It’s very very special. We have been working together for 20 years. I think he’s the perfect director, he’s an extraordinary writer, he’s an extraordinary director of actors.
‘He presents this film like no one else does in the world, and I just can’t believe my luck. I did a screentest for him when I was a kid, and I thought that would be it and it would just be enough to be in a room with Chris for a couple of hours, and here we are. So, I’m just so humble and thankful.’