Netflix’s Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Cast And Characters Guide

After six seasons’ worth of storytelling, which narratively spanned several decades of the post-First World War British underworld and political scenes, when “Peaky Blinders” finally ended back in 2022, it didn’t feel like there was more to add to Thomas Shelby’s journey. However, as the epilogue feature, “Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man,” showcases, a larger-than-life figure like Tommy, whose influence in the sphere he inhabits, for better or worse, is second to none, can’t simply just walk away from his past without paying his dues. As “Immortal Man” brings a befitting, somber conclusion to Tommy’s story, navigating his family ties and personal demons, characterization remains the USP throughout the narrative. 

Thomas Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy 

Renowned Irish actor Cillian Murphy began his acting journey with theater performances before receiving global attention for playing the lead role of Jim, the bicycle courier, in Danny Boyle’s cult classic horror, “28 Days Later.” Murphy’s next major role was Dr. Jonathan Crane, aka Scarecrow, in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” trilogy, and since then he has often collaborated with the legendary British director, in “Inception,” “Dunkirk,” and “Oppenheimer.” Murphy portrayed Thomas Shelby in “Peaky Blinders” for six seasons, solidifying the character’s legacy in pop culture, and in “The Immortal Man,” he reprises the role for the final time. Six years after leaving his gang to spend the rest of his life in solitude, Tommy is a shell of his former self and has turned his back on the world out of his deep self-hatred. People close to him have suffered profusely; his recognition as the legendary leader of the Peaky Blinders or Gypsy King doesn’t amount to anything to him any longer. As if Tommy hadn’t gone through enough, it is revealed that he murdered his own elder brother and partner in crime, Arthur, in a drunken rage. Tommy considers himself to be a wraith, cursed to live out the rest of his life in shame, isolation, and guilt. Aloof from the affairs of the rest of the world, Tommy decides to return to the fray not only to avenge Ada, but also in the hopes of finding a release from his misery by embracing death. The realization that he is not the master of his fate like he deluded himself into believing and acceptance of the truth by forming suicidal instincts as his coping mechanism marks the final days of the once revered notorious gangster. The themes of profound isolation, stoic endurance of the whims of fate, and the allure of death as a final refuge, which characterize the final stage of Tommy Shelby’s journey, make him similar to a protagonist of Robert Frost’s idyllic tragic poems. In the final moments of the movie, Tommy chooses his retribution by asking his eldest son, Duke, to take his life, and gets a much-deserved, poetic end. 

Erasmus ‘Duke’ Shelby Played By Barry Keoghan

Talented Irish actor Barry Keoghan rose to prominence with “Dunkirk” and “Killing of a Sacred Deer.” Since then, he has delivered exceptional performances on the silver screen with “Calm with Horses,” “Banshees of Inisherin,” “Saltburn,” etc. He also played a memorable cameo as Joker in the deleted scene of Matt Reeves’ “The Batman.” In “The Immortal Man,” Keoghan plays the role of Duke Shelby, present leader of the Peaky Blinders and Tommy’s eldest son with his former Gypsy lover, Zelda. Duke is chaos incarnate and emotionally conflicted, and unlike his old man, he lacks composure, a code of honor, and strategic skills. Duke seeks a place to belong and seeks validation from his father, who abandoned him even after knowing about his parentage, and the inability to attain these has led him to turn to violence to project his inner turmoil onto the world. Duke craves power in the hopes of finding acknowledgment in a world that prefers him to remain an outcast. For a brief while, in Tommy’s absence, he even finds the Nazi officer, John Beckett, a suitable replacement as a father figure. Eventually, a reconciliation with Tommy allows Duke to find his roots in family, and as an act of mercy, he grants his father his final release. 

Kaulo/Zelda Played By Rebecca Ferguson

Celebrated, talented British-Swedish actor Rebecca Ferguson found recognition with the British historical series, “White Queen,” and became globally recognized with her role as the enigmatic Ilsa Faust in the “Mission Impossible” movie series. Some of her notable silver screen performances include “The Greatest Showman,” “Doctor Sleep,” Lady Jessica in the “Dune” movie series, etc. In “The Immortal Man,” she plays the dual role of Tommy’s late Gypsy lover, Zelda, and her identical twin sister, Kaulo. In the narrative, Kaulo primarily acts as a catalyst to ensure Tommy’s return to the scene, but she has her own agenda, directed towards the preservation of her fellow Gypsy-Romani people by using Tommy and Duke as her chess pieces. Mysterious, cunning, and sharp, Kaulo reads Tommy like an open book and ensures that he gets his long-desired freedom through the embrace of death. 

Miscellaneous Characters

Aside from the main characters, the supporting cast of “The Immortal Man” did a great job with the roles they were given. Tim Roth played the role of Nazi officer John Beckett, who is given the charge to smuggle fake currency into England. Sophie Fundle reprised her role as Tommy’s sister, Ada Thorne; Stephen Graham reprised his role of Tommy’s longtime ally/union leader, Hayden Stagg. Packy Lee reprised his role of Johnny Dogs, Tommy’s only companion in his self-imposed exile. 

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