Why The Cast Of Peaky Blinders Looks So Familiar

Created by "Eastern Promises” scribe Steven Knight, "Peaky Blinders" transports viewers to the gritty slums of post-war Birmingham, where the streets are dominated by criminal gangs. The most feared and respected of them all is the one run by the tight-knit Shelby family, which is led by a fearless leader whose big ambitions might bring about their salvation ... or their downfall.

"Peaky Blinders" has earned widespread acclaim, thanks to its sweeping storytelling, captivating cinematography, and, perhaps most of all, its top-notch cast. This talented slate of actors has been delivering iconic performances that elevate the gangster genre since the show debuted in 2013. But these performers have careers that extend far beyond Birmingham's borders. They've played space travelers, musicians, soldiers, and romantics in a wide variety of settings, eras, and genres. You might even recognize them from some of these roles — or, as is the case with some of the most prolific, a whole lot of these roles. Why do these "Peaky Blinders" actors look so familiar? We're here to find out by taking a look at their most prominent roles.

Paul Anderson portrays the unpredictable Arthur Shelby, who, along with his brother John, takes care of most of the family business' dirty work.  Arthur is a broken character who's just trying to find peace, but his loyalty to Tommy keeps him from truly escaping his violent world.

Though "Peaky Blinders" is Anderson's biggest project to date, audiences have seen him before in a variety of productions. He's appeared on TV shows like "Silent Witness," "Lewis, "Midsomer Murders," "Top Boy," "The Great Train Robbery," and in a "Doctor Who" Christmas special. He has also graced the big screen with supporting roles in action films like "A Lonely Place to Die," "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," and "The Sweeney." After making his mark on the entertainment world as Arthur Shelby, he's gotten the chance to appear in far more features from acclaimed filmmakers, including Brian Helgeland's "Legend," Ron Howard's "In the Heart of the Sea," Alejandro G. Iñárritu's "The Revenant," and Guillermo del Toro's "Nightmare Alley."

When "Peaky Blinders" debuted, Joe Cole had yet to make a major mark on the industry, though he had appeared on shows like "Holby City," "Injustice," and "Skins." Due to his breakout performance as John Shelby, Tommy's reliable brother, Cole has become one of the United Kingdom's most exciting young actors, nabbing supporting roles in films like the dark comedy "A Long Way Down," the Florence Pugh-led drama "The Falling," the war drama "Thank You For Your Service," and thrillers including "Green Room," "Secret in Their Eyes," and "Woodshock."

John Shelby's untimely death in Season 4 took fans by surprise, but it's also allowed Cole to explore new projects on the small screen. After his exit, he's continued his television career with leading roles in the "Hang the DJ" episode of "Black Mirror" and "Gangs of London." Moreover, he's started racking up awards: Cole won best actor at the British Independent Film Awards for his portrayal of Billy Moore in the 2018 film "A Prayer Before Dawn." More recently, he starred in the spy thriller series "The Ipcress File" and the survival film "Against the Ice."

On the first three seasons of "Peaky Blinders," Annabelle Wallis plays Grace Burgess, a government spy who captures the heart of the intimidating Tommy Shelby. As she revealed in an interview with FT, playing a tough woman like Grace expanded her professional horizons. This has led her to  starring roles in high-profile projects like "The Mummy" reboot featuring Tom Cruise, the ensemble comedy "Tag," the action-thriller "The Silencing," and horror films including "Malignant" and "Annabelle."

Before finding success in "Peaky Blinders," Wallis popped up on a variety of television projects. Viewers are particularly likely to recognize her from the historical period drama "The Tudors," in which she plays Jane Seymour, one of King Henry VIII's infamous wives. While she had small parts in all-star films such as Ridley Scott's thriller "Body of Lies," Madonna's romantic drama "W.E.," and Matthew Vaughn's superhero prequel "X-Men: First Class," Wallis actually started her cinematic career with the romantic Bollywood film "Dil Jo Bhi Kahey," in which she plays Sophie Besson. Wallis has also landed roles on American shows including "Pan Am," "Star Trek: Short Treks," "The Loudest Voice," and "Star Trek: Discovery."

Natasha O'Keeffe portrays Lizzie Stark, one of a few characters on "Peaky Blinders" who undergoes significant changes over the course of the series. She starts out as a sex worker, gets hired as a secretary, and eventually becomes Mrs. Thomas Shelby. This long and winding path transforms Lizzie into a strong and fierce character. Despite Tommy's faults, Lizzie remains a constant figure of support in his life.

Before joining "Peaky Blinders," O'Keeffe was already a familiar face on U.K. television. She got her big break when she was cast in the main role of Sadie Anderson on the serial drama "Lip Service." After that series ended, she starred as Abbey Smith on "Misfits," a sci-fi series about young offenders who suddenly gain superpowers while doing community service. Following the success of "Peaky Blinders," she has appeared on a huge variety of TV shows, including "The Last Panthers," "Jekyll and Hyde," "Sherlock," "Strike," "Rebellion," and "Intergalactic." Given the fact that these productions range from historical drama to sci-fi action, O'Keeffe's career is likely to get even more interesting in the years ahead.

Alfie Solomons, Tommy's frenemy and leader of a London-based Jewish gang, is played by mega-star Tom Hardy. Hardy effortlessly balances Alfie's eccentric charm, dark humor, violent outbursts, and daunting presence. He enjoys especially impressive chemistry with Cillian Murphy, which has made the character a fan favorite.

Hardy has a lot of memorable performances under his belt. While he began acting in the early 2000s, he gained international recognition through his work with Oscar-winner Christopher Nolan, who cast Hardy as Eames in the 2010 sci-fi action film "Inception." Hardy and Nolan followed this up with "The Dark Knight Rises," which sees Hardy take on mantle of DC supervillain Bane. In the ensuring years, Hardy has cemented his A-list status with roles in films like "Warrior," "Dunkirk," and the "Venom" movies. He earned especially wide acclaim for his performance as Max Rockatansky in George Miller's post-apocalyptic "Mad Max: Fury Road," and snagged his first Oscar nomination for his role in the Leonardo DiCaprio-led survival epic, "The Revenant."

Aidan Gillen is no stranger to television. He famously stars as Lord Petyr Baelish, aka Littlefinger, on "Game of Thrones," and as Tommy Carcetti on "The Wire."  Following his departure from the former fantasy series, Gillen traded Westeros for the Birmingham of "Peaky Blinders," where he plays Aberama Gold. Aberama has a ruthless reputation for his savage killings, which puts him right in line with Gillen's prior roles.

Gillen's performance as Stuart Alan Jones on the acclaimed British drama "Queer as Folk" proved to be his big break, netting him a BAFTA nomination for best actor. He went on to enjoy roles in projects like the "Maze Runner" movies, "The Dark Knight Rises," "Bohemian Rhapsody," and "Those Who Wish Me Dead. More recently, Gillen has starred as Frank Kinsella on "Kin,” and as Milo Sunter on "Mayor of Kingstown." Interestingly, both of these series are crime sagas, and both see Gillen work alongside Marvel Cinematic Universe stars — Charlie Cox and Jeremy Renner, respectively.

Adrien Brody dazzles as Luca Changretta, the Italian-American gangster out for revenge against the Shelby family. Brody was already familiar to many "Peaky Blinders" viewers, however, as he's a bonafide movie star. His most notable role is Holocaust survivor Władysław Szpilman in "The Pianist," which netted him the Academy Award for best actor. To prepare for this searing performance, Brody lost weight, gave up his car and apartment, and dedicated himself to the piano.

Brody is also known for his frequent collaborations with acclaimed filmmaker Wes Anderson: He plays Peter Whitman in "The Darjeeling Limited," Rickity in "Fantastic Mr. Fox," Dmitri in "The Grand Budapest Hotel," and Julien Cadazio in "The French Dispatch." Apart from "Peaky Blinders," Brody has also starred on TV shows like the two-part miniseries "Houdini," the horror drama "Chapelwaite," and was recently a guest star on the award-winning HBO drama "Succession."

Season 2 introduces viewers to Noah Taylor's Darby Sabini, yet another "Peaky Blinders" character based on a real-life person. A British-Italian mob boss, he dominates the London racetracks. Prior to joining the series, Taylor had a recurring role as Locke on the wildly popular "Game of Thrones." Later on, he was cast as Adolf Hitler on the offbeat supernatural series "Preacher." How's that for range?

In addition to his television career, Taylor has also had supporting roles in films like the classic comedy-drama "Almost Famous," the sci-fi thriller "Vanilla Sky," the romantic drama "The Sleeping Dictionary," the Angelina Jolie-led "Tomb Raider" films, the sci-fi actioner "Edge of Tomorrow," and the cult dramedy "He Died with a Felafel in His Hand." Millennial viewers in particular might also remember Taylor for what is, arguably, his most recognizable role: Mr. Bucket, father to Charlie, in Tim Burton's adaptation of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."