Front Row Cillian Murphy on Peaky Blinders, plus Timothee Chalamet's opera backlash
Mar 9, 2026
Cillian Murphy, Oscar-winning Irish actor known for Peaky Blinders, discusses bringing Tommy Shelby back to film. Deepa Anappara, Indian journalist-turned-novelist, reads from and talks about her new novel set in 19th-century Tibet. Toby Mundy, literary agent and prize director, examines shifting nonfiction sales and what categories are thriving. Short, lively conversations about art, publishing trends and storytelling.
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Episode notes
Historical Oddities Anchor Fictional Stakes
- The film weaves Operation Bernhard — the Nazi counterfeit plan — into Tommy Shelby's fictional world.
- Murphy explained Stephen Knight uses obscure historical events like Nazi counterfeit notes to anchor and elevate the show's plots.
First Day Muddy Fight Took A Toll
- Murphy described filming a muddy father–son fight as his first day on set and extremely awful to shoot.
- He noted the heavy ruined costumes added physical strain and symbolised violence as the characters' main language.
Anachronistic Music Builds Peaky Myths
- Music choice is integral to Peaky Blinders' identity, defined by menace and outlaw quality rather than period accuracy.
- Murphy pointed to Nick Cave's Red Right Hand as emblematic and said the right anachronistic tone signals danger and mythic status.
