Barry Keoghan talks major Peaky Blinders film role: “I look more Cillian Murphy than Cillian looks Cillian Murphy”

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Fans of Peaky Blinders were right to suspect Barry Keoghan was playing Tommy Shelby’s son, Duke, as the casting was confirmed last week.

Conrad Khan previously played Duke in season six, but Barry Keoghan will now take on the role in the upcoming film, The Immortal Man. The film will show Duke leading the Peaky Blinders after Tommy Shelby’s departure, and he’ll be portrayed as a particularly ruthless and brutal leader.

Keoghan recently discussed his role as Duke, jokingly asking Empire about his and Cillian Murphy’s eye color: “Let’s be real – who has bluer eyes?”

“I look more Cillian Murphy than Cillian looks Cillian Murphy,” he joked.

I’ve learned that Barry Keoghan has been eager to get involved with this series for a while now, but he just never seemed to be the right fit for any of the roles they had available until now. It’s great to see them finally find a character that plays to his strengths.

He’d always dreamed of being involved, and he felt like the timing and the role were a perfect fit for the story they were telling. He believed it couldn’t have been better casting.

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Keoghan shared that Murphy personally contacted him about the part, calling him on Father’s Day to discuss the possibility of working on the movie together.

I immediately agreed – absolutely! I was eager to work with him again and be involved in that creative world.

Keoghan described Duke as being in a difficult place when the story begins, and definitely not behaving well. However, as a father himself, Keoghan connected with Duke’s deep longing for a father figure and his need for someone to be present in his life.

Keoghan and Murphy have collaborated before, appearing together in Dunkirk. He’s one of several new actors joining the cast, alongside Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth, and Jay Lycurgo.

Lycurgo shared that seeing Cillian Murphy in the suit for the first time made him understand the character’s iconic status. He explained, ‘It all clicked!’

As a total TV buff, I have to tell you – seriously, add Peaky Blinders to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. I downloaded it, and it’s great for getting daily recommendations and staying up-to-date on everything happening in the TV world. You won’t regret it!

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, a global TV production company. He has a BA degree in English and Theatre Studies, as well as a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-02-23 16:04