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

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 that first made his name

In depth:

The closing scene of the last series saw Cillian Murphy’s Birmingham racetrack hustler turned millionaire crime lord Tommy Shelby standing, screaming, in a muddy field with a gun pointed ...