Playing a Blinder: How the role of a Birmingham gangster gained Cillian Murphy international acclaim

The Cork-born actor has found huge international success on both screen and stage. Now he’s back for the final series of the epic TV drama that first made his name

Cillian Murphy is coming to the end of Peaky Blinders, the TV drama that first showed the world the depth of his talent. Illustration: Peter Hanan

In brief:

Name and role: Cillian Murphy, actor and producer

Age: 45

Appearance: eyes like chips of Arctic ice, cheekbones you could peel an apple with

Newsworthiness: the sixth and final season of his epic TV drama Peaky Blinders begins tonight on BBC One at 9pm

In depth:

The last time viewers saw Cillian Murphy’s Birmingham racetrack hustler turned millionaire crime lord Tommy Shelby, he was standing, screaming, in a muddy field with a gun ...