Barry Keoghan reveals why Peaky Blinders film’s story of fathers and sons moved him so much – and talks Beatles film role

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Barry Keoghan is thrilled to finally be part of the Peaky Blinders cast. He’s been a fan of the show for years – he even had the signature haircut for seven years hoping for a role! He says he repeatedly asked the show’s casting director, Shaheen Baig, if there were any opportunities for him.

It was eventually revealed that Duke Shelby existed. He’s Tommy’s troubled and aggressive son, and has taken control of the Peaky Blinders while his father is away. As the story progresses, he proves to be a crucial figure in the overall narrative.

Duke is a 25-year-old man introduced just before the start of World War II. His birth came from a brief relationship his father, Tommy, had with a young Romany woman named Zelda before he went to fight in World War I. Actor Barry Keoghan, who plays Duke, is 33, but his striking features – high cheekbones and pale blue eyes – make him believable in the role. He’s proven his ability to play younger characters, earning a Bafta award for his portrayal of the immature Dominic Kearney in the 2022 film The Banshees of Inisherin and playing the dangerous student Oliver Quick in the 2023 film Saltburn.

I’m hearing all the buzz about Barry Keoghan potentially being the next James Bond, and honestly, while he’d be a really interesting and maybe even a surprising choice – definitely the most youthful Bond we’ve seen! – I get why he’d prefer to play the villain. He admits the role comes with huge expectations, and he feels he’s more suited to being the one challenging Bond, the antagonist. I think that’s brilliant – he’d be an incredible foil for 007!

After gaining international recognition with Saltburn, Barry Keoghan connected with a supportive group of Irish actors. This connection ultimately helped him land the role in Peaky Blinders. He explains, “I keep in touch with Irish actors like Cillian Murphy, Colin Farrell, and Brendan Gleeson – we’re a close and supportive bunch.” He shared a Father’s Day message with Cillian, who surprisingly responded by offering him the part of his son, Duke. Keoghan jokes that he got the role simply by sending a holiday greeting, adding that he also sends Mother’s Day messages to people he’s close to!

Keoghan describes The Immortal Man as fundamentally a story about family. He sees his character, Duke, as someone searching for a father figure and hiding behind a false front, and he connected with this on a personal level, drawing on his own life experiences to inform the role.

Barry Keoghan grew up in a disadvantaged part of Dublin called Summerhill. His mother, Debbie, battled heroin addiction and tragically died from an overdose when he was just twelve years old. Raised without a father, Keoghan and his brother, Eric, spent their childhood moving between foster homes and eventually being raised by their grandmother.

A theme of absence keeps appearing in his life. He faced public criticism for reportedly not spending enough time with his three-year-old son, Brando, which led to him posting fewer family photos online. This bothered him enough that he mentioned to Louis Theroux in a 2024 podcast that people were using his son against him – a statement that, ironically, mirrors the relationship between his characters Tommy and Duke Shelby in the film. He felt a strong connection to Cillian Murphy, who played his on-screen son, and the father-son dynamic they portrayed. As a father himself, he believes many young men will relate to the story.

Driven by deep resentment, Duke leads the Peaky Blinders with dangerous aggression, both as a way to vent his anger and to earn Tommy’s respect. Meanwhile, his father is given a last chance to make amends for his past mistakes. The story centers around whether Duke will be an ally or an obstacle for Tommy. The actor shared that the final scenes were incredibly moving, even before filming began, and expressed his gratitude for being part of the show’s talented cast and crew.

He admitted to feeling nervous joining the established world of Peaky Blinders and meeting the long-standing cast. He described the screen test with Cillian Murphy as particularly nerve-wracking, recalling being amazed by Murphy’s transformation into Tommy Shelby. He remembered being struck by Murphy’s genuine reaction to his appearance – Murphy told him he looked great, which he found incredibly heartwarming. It meant a lot to see Murphy so invested in the project, considering how much ‘Peaky Blinders’ meant to him and how closely he identified with the character of Tommy Shelby.

Keoghan clearly admires his Irish compatriot, Cillian Murphy, calling him a fantastic actor and a role model for Irish performers. Currently filming a Beatles project with fellow Dubliner Paul Mescal, Keoghan believes Irish actors are popular internationally because of the positive global perception of Irish people – their historical impact, charm, and overall appeal. Ironically, he jokes that this ‘Irish charm’ doesn’t work at home, and people in Ireland even tell him his accent has changed!

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Paul Mescal will portray Paul McCartney and Barry Keoghan will play Ringo Starr in an upcoming film about The Beatles. Keoghan describes playing a real-life icon as both wonderful and challenging, noting the added complexity of portraying a person who actually lived. He says it requires a level of vulnerability, but he’s incredibly thankful for the opportunity, calling it a significant moment in his career.

He sees acting as a lifeline, which makes sense considering his difficult upbringing. He doesn’t always view it as a job, explaining that art can be truly therapeutic. While he can’t pinpoint why he loves acting, he describes it as a deeply freeing and escapist experience – a feeling he compares to love, something often felt but hard to explain. He doubts he’ll ever be able to fully put it into words, but emphasizes the profound sense of release it provides.

Keoghan reflected on how unexpectedly he joined Peaky Blinders, recalling that Cillian Murphy first reached out on Father’s Day. They had joked about what would have happened if he hadn’t recognized the number, but Keoghan was happy things unfolded as they did, allowing him to share a special final moment with Murphy in a truly magical way. He expressed gratitude for his patience and the serendipitous timing of the opportunity.

The new Peaky Blinders film, The Immortal Man, is currently showing in some UK cinemas and will be available to stream on Netflix starting Friday, March 20, 2026. Netflix subscriptions start at £5.99 per month and are also accessible through Sky Glass and Virgin Media.

Don’t miss Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app now for daily TV recommendations and exclusive content.

Authors

Michael Hodges

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2026-03-17 11:35