Barry Keoghan reveals his inspiration behind ‘Peaky Blinders’ character

Barry Keoghan has recently revealed who inspired him to shape up his character in the upcoming movie, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.

The Irish actor opened up that he and his brother were placed in different foster homes as their mother could not take care of them and ultimately died from drug addiction.

In the new spin-off, Barry takes on the role of Erasmus Duke Shelby, an illegitimate son abandoned by Tommy Shelby, plays by Cillian Murphy.

Elaborating on the absent dynamic between Duke and his on-screen father, Barry mentioned that his character resonated with his personal experiences.

“It’s a real thing, stepping into play Tommy Shelby’s son. Being a big fan of the show and big fan of Cillian, I wanted to be part of it and get my teeth into it,” said the 33-year-old.

Saltburn actor noted that it was the relationship and “the absence” he leaned into and the experience “I have in some similar ways to my absence of my dad, and the echoes I’ve heard of him and the kind of figure I’ve made him to be. I felt that was… a humanity”.

It sort of humanises Duke for me to show those vulnerabilities,” admitted Barry.

However, the actor added, “Obviously, the kid’s going to be an absolute livewire and violent and they’re all reactions, they’re all cries for help – not to justify each and every one.”

Meanwhile, the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man will premiere on Netflix on March 20.

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