Cillian Murphy has firmly dispelled any rumours of his return to Peaky Blinders in a concise six-word statement. The Irish actor, who recently won the Best Lead Actor award at the 2024 BAFTA Film Awards, had been surrounded by whispers that another series of the British period crime drama could be on the cards.
When asked about a potential return to his role as Tommy Shelby, despite the confirmation of a movie, Murphy quickly quashed thoughts of a reunion. In a chat with The Mirror and other media outlets during the BAFTA Awards winners conference, he stated clearly that his main focus post-BAFTA win was his upcoming project, not connected to Peaky Blinders. 'No. I'm concentrating on my new project,' was his decisive response.
Murphy is set to star in the 2024 historical drama Small Things Like These, which deals with the Magdalene laundry scandal in Ireland. The film, directed by Tim Mielants and adapted by Enda Walsh from Claire Keegan's 2021 novel, is set in Ireland in 1985. Murphy plays Bill Furlong, a hard-working father of six who confronts the harsh reality of how the Catholic Church treated young unmarried women in his town.
Murphy shared his thoughts on the role, calling it a big challenge. 'I think it's a collective trauma that we are all processing. Certainly for my generation and older generations - it's still something that I think we are figuring out. I've always thought that books and art and film can sort of be a band to that wound,' he said. He also noted the film's universal appeal: 'I think that the movie's universality lies in its specificity... There's a very raw emotion to the film that people respond to.'
