Irish actor Barry Keoghan has revealed the surprising way he landed a role in the new Peaky Blinders film.
The Dublin star appears as Duke Shelby, the son of Tommy Shelby, in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, the big-screen continuation of the hugely popular series Peaky Blinders.
Keoghan admitted he had been a huge fan of the show long before he ever joined the cast, making the chance to step into the Shelby family even more special.
The 33-year-old also recalled how he and Cillian Murphy were once mistaken for father and son while travelling home together after filming Dunkirk, directed by Christopher Nolan.
Speaking on The Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk, Keoghan explained that a casual message to Murphy eventually led to him landing the part.
‘I was a massive fan of the series,’ he said. ‘I texted Cillian on Father’s Day to wish him a happy Father’s Day.’
‘He got back to me and asked me if I wanted to play his son in the Peaky Blinders movie. It was a no brainer. He’s Cillian Murphy, I’d work with Cillian Murphy on anything.’
During the interview, Keoghan also spoke about how his own life experiences helped him relate to Duke Shelby’s character.
‘I’ve definitely learned that family isn’t necessarily blood,’ he added. ‘I’ve learned that everyone is human, everyone has problems.’
He said he recognised similarities between himself and the troubled character.
‘I can see the similarities between me and Duke in the way that he is crying out for help and has this attitude of “Why me?” and “F the world”. I had all of that growing up.’
‘We’re all just trying to [figure things out] at the end of the day — that’s in reference to my parents who weren’t there. When you get older you realise that you’re on a similar journey to your mom in terms of getting better and being sober.’
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‘Once you have a kid, you put yourself in their shoes, there’s a forgiveness in that.’
Keoghan also said audiences might initially see Duke as trouble, but the character has more depth than first appears; ‘On paper Duke is Tommy Shelby’s son and he’s a menace.
‘When you watch the movie, it’ll change your perspective on a young menacing lad. It won’t justify his actions, but you’ll see he has a heart and there’s an innocence there.’
The actor added that he hopes his career sends a positive message to young people from disadvantaged communities.
‘There’s no secret to [my success], I want kids who grew up in disadvantaged areas to know that it’s not out of arm’s reach,’ he said. ‘Kids look for approval and assurance.’
‘Giving them encouragement when they do something is important. I want to, as much as I can, get involved with communities and use my profile that way rather than just being on Instagram or attending events.’
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man opened in cinemas on Friday and is set to arrive on Netflix on March 20.
