Peaky Blinders season 6 cast: who stars in new series with Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, and Stephen Graham

It’s not long until Peaky Blinders returns for its sixth and final series on BBC One.

The popular Birmingham crime drama will begin on Sunday 27 February at 9pm, and continue for six episodes weekly.

Here’s everything you need to know about the cast of Peaky Blinders series 6 – including who they play, where you recognise them from, and which of their roles you should watch next.

Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby

Who do they play? Cillian Murphy plays Tommy Shelby, gangster turned MP, and leader of the Peaky Blinders – he’s the brutal beating heart of the show.

Where do I know them from? Cillian Murphy is a prolific actor. He’s best known for his role in Peaky Blinders, but you might also recognise him from films like 28 Days Later, A Quiet Place II, and Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.

If I like them in Peaky Blinders, what should I watch next? Once you’ve ticked off the obvious (like Nolan’s Dunkirk) it might be worth seeking out All of This Unreal Time – a short film that doubles as a character study, directed by Severance’s Aoife McCardle, that sees Murphy as an everyman confessing his failings directly to the audience.

Tom Hardy as Alfie Solomon

Who do they play? Tom Hardy plays Alfie Solomon, a character based on a real-life Jewish gangster and a rival to the Peaky Blinders.

Where do I know them from? You’ll know Hardy from superhero films like Venom and The Dark Knight Rises (co-starring Cillian Murphy), action movies like Inception and Black Hawk Down, and gangster flicks like Legend and Capone.

If I like them in Peaky Blinders, what should I watch next? You might be interested in his previous team-ups with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight – like Taboo, an eight-part historical drama, or Locke, a psychological thriller movie where Hardy plays the only on-screen character.

Stephen Graham as... someone

Who do they play? Not a lot is known about Stephen Graham’s role in Peaky Blinders just yet – it’s being kept quite mysterious still.

Where do I know them from? Graham is a prolific actor and a staple of British television. You might recognise him from recent roles in Help, Line of Duty, and Time.

If I like them in Peaky Blinders, what should I watch next? Probably Graham’s roles in other crime dramas, like Boardwalk Empire or Scorsese movies Gangs of New York and The Irishman.

Sophie Rundle as Ada Shelby

Who do they play? Sophie Rundle plays Ada, the only daughter of the Shelby family – but in many ways even more fiercely independent than her brothers.

Where do I know them from? You’ll know Sophie Rundle from dramas like Bodyguard and Gentleman Jack, or from her brief turn in US comedy Episodes with Matt LeBlanc.

If I like them in Peaky Blinders, what should I watch next? Rundle stars in Sky drama Jamestown, a series about some of the first English settlers in America – one to check out perhaps if you’re fond of the inspired-by-real-history element of Peaky Blinders.

Anya Taylor-Joy as Gina

Who do they play? Anya Taylor-Joy is returning to Peaky Blinders to play Gina Grey, the American wife to Shelby in-law Michael Grey.

Where do I know them from? Taylor-Joy has risen in profile since her last appearance in Peaky Blinders – you might recognise her from films like Last Night in Soho and The VVitch, M. Night Shyamalan movies Split and Glass, or black comedy Thoroughbreds.

If I like them in Peaky Blinders, what should I watch next? It’s a little obvious, but if you’ve not seen it already you should check out (or just rewatch) The Queen’s Gambit – Taylor-Joy absolutely owns the role.

Sam Claflin as Oswald Mosley

Who do they play? Sam Claflin plays Oswald Mosley, a real-life fascist politician and a rival to Tommy Shelby in parliament.

Where do I know them from? You’re most likely to recognise Claflin from a run of romcoms and YA adaptations, like Love, Rosie, Me Before You, and The Hunger Games trilogy.

If I like them in Peaky Blinders, what should I watch next? It’s very different from a lot of the roles he’s played, but Claflin is hugely impressive in Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale, a haunting meditation on colonial violence, and probably one of the most difficult to watch films you’ll ever come across.

Who else is in Peaky Blinders series 6?

Paul Anderson (The Revenant), Ned Dennehy (Tyrannosaur), Aimee-Ffion Edwards (Skins), and Amber Anderson (The Riot Club) will all appear in Peaky Blinders series 6. It’s not yet known if actors from previous seasons like Benjamin Zephaniah or Brian Gleeson will appear again.

Helen McCrory, who had a key role in Peaky Blinders previously, sadly passed away before Series 6 began shooting and as a result won’t appear in the series again.

Who writes and directs Peaky Blinders series 6?

Peaky Blinders series 6 will be written once again by creator Steven Knight, who has written or co-written every previous episode of the series. Peaky Blinders is what Knight is best known for, though he’s also written Taboo (starring Tom Hardy) and recent Princess Diana biopic Spencer. Knight is also one of three people who co-created Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Anthony Byrne, who directed each episode of Peaky Blinders series 5, is returning to direct series 6 once again. Byrne has previously directed episodes of Silent Witness, Ripper Street, and The Last Kingdom, as well as the absolutely dire Natalie Dormer movie In Darkness.

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