Not a Real Shelby: Cillian Murphy Struggled While Starring on Peaky Blinders
What is it like to be pushed to the limit while playing someone on screen?
Cillian Murphy is an actor who is highly appreciated by the audience. Fans just praise him for his talent and it doesn't matter if he's in a movie or a TV show. In fact, one of the things about him that drives fans crazy is his ability to become anyone you can imagine on screen, no matter if it's big or small.
No matter who he plays, Murphy manages to show the character's deep personality and simply capture fans with his magnetism. One of the most iconic roles he has played in recent years was Thomas Shelby in the famous show Peaky Blinders.
Murphy seemed so believable in his role, the fearless leader of the mob, that most fans just saw him and started imagining that Murphy was like that in real life. But unfortunately (or is it really?) the actor made it clear that his own personality is nothing like Tommy's.
“I’m not a tough guy at all so it was by far the toughest character I have ever portrayed, and him being so physical and the amount of respect and fear that this family has in this town means that we all had to look tough. You’ve got to commit to the material and commit to the character and his choices,” he shared in an interview with the BBC.
To be believable, the actor really put a lot of effort into becoming a true Shelby. He went to the gym regularly and even became a pro at horseback riding. Portraying Tommy was one of the most challenging things in his career, but Murphy is glad he did it.
As the actor shared in the same interview, he loves the challenge of becoming someone else on screen. It makes his heart beat faster when he knows he can portray any character in the world and the audience will find him truly authentic.
Source: BBC