18 Must-See ‘Peaky Blinders’ Cast Photos: Then and Now

Helen McCrory's Polly Gray wasn’t just the matriarch, she was the beating heart of Peaky Blinders. With sweeping elegance, steel-laced wisdom, and a trench coat full of secrets, she balanced family loyalty with moral gravity. In the show, Polly moved with purpose. She was soft in sorrow, sharp in business, and truly anchored the world of the Shelbys with authority, nuance, and deep emotional resonance. She made every scene richer, fiercely owning her place in a male-dominated world. She's one of our favorite characters from the show for sure.

Sadly, McCrory passed away on April 16, 2021, during filming of Season 6. She was 52. The production paid tribute by respectfully weaving Polly’s absence into the narrative, honoring her irreplaceable presence. Peaky’s final season opened with a heartfelt homage, ensuring her legacy lives on through each fiery glance and whispered line she left behind.

Paul Anderson gave Arthur Shelby the soul’s most explosive expression: prayerful yet violent, loving yet lost. His trembling rage, haunted guilt, and moments of tragic tenderness made him as unpredictable as he was sympathetic.

He shattered furniture and expectations in equal measure, turning Arthur into one of the show’s most volatile yet deeply human figures. More than a brother, he was a revelation in wounds and redemption.

After Peaky, Anderson popped up in the heist-comedy Lift (2024) alongside Kevin Hart, and remains linked to the upcoming The Immortal Man film, anticipated to revisit Arthur’s story. 

In early 2024, he was fined £1,345 for possession of crack cocaine, amphetamines, and prescription medications, an incident that made headlines. Still, his fans hope the film offers him a redemptive return.

Character Ada Shelby began as the pacifist sister, torn between resistance and blood ties. Sophie Rundle made her graceful but fierce, refusing to fade quietly.

Her journey from idealistic outsider to queenmaker in the family business is subtly powerful. She sharpened her voice while softening her approach, evolving into a quietly commanding presence in the Shelby saga.

In the years since, Rundle starred as the headstrong Ann Walker in Gentleman Jack, led Netflix’s The Diplomat, and appeared in the mystery thriller After the Flood (2024). Off-screen, she champions women’s and mental health issues, balancing motherhood with acting.

Her Ada may be on pause for the upcoming film, but Rundle’s career continues to rise on her own razor-sharp terms.

Lizzie Shelby may have started out as Tommy’s secretary, but over the seasons she became so much more: his wife, his confidante, and one of the show’s most layered characters.

Natasha O’Keeffe gave Lizzie a quiet strength, playing her as both resilient and vulnerable. She loved Tommy fiercely, even when it broke her, and carried a mix of boldness and heartbreak that made her stand out. In a family often blinded by power and ambition, Lizzie became the rare voice of conscience. She was someone who reminded us there was still a beating heart under all that steel

After the series ended, O’Keeffe appeared in Tyger (2024) and took on the role of Lanfear in The Wheel of Time (2023 to 2025), which earned notable attention, even as fans were disappointed by its cancellation.

She’s carved a niche in fantasy and cinematic drama, continually drawn to characters that fuse emotional grit with enigma, showing she’s as compelling on screen off the Shelby stage.

Annabelle Wallis brought complexity to character Grace Burgess—from an undercover agent posing as a barmaid to becoming Tommy Shelby’s tragic flame. Her transformation was layered: steely resolve softened by undeniable chemistry, culminating in a chilling betrayal, marriage, and sudden, heartbreaking death.

Wallis’s portrayal anchored Tommy’s emotional arc, turning Grace into both his solace and his torment. Her presence in the first three seasons and in Season 5 gave the show emotional gravity that echoed long after her character’s exit.

Since Peaky Blinders, Wallis has continued to take bold, genre-spanning turns. She voiced the AI Zora in Star Trek: Discovery (2020 to 2024) and acted in the festive drama Silent Night (2021). She’s also linked with a high-profile sci-fi thriller, Mercy, starring alongside Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson.

On the public front, she and Sebastian Stan have maintained a discreet romance since 2022, gracing red carpets at Cannes and the 2025 Golden Globes. The pair also appeared together at the BAFTAs, supporting each other’s careers.

Sam Neill made an icy entrance on Peaky as Inspector Campbell, an Ulster-born lawman dispatched to dismantle the Peaky Blinders. His closed-off intensity and moral absolutism created a perfect foil for Tommy Shelby, with every confrontation crackling with ideological friction.

Though his tenure was brief (only on Seasons 1 and 2), Neill’s nuanced performance left a lasting mark, turning Campbell into a memorable enemy whose departure reshaped the Shelby family’s path.

Neill continues to act with the same gravitas even as he battled lymphoma, which has entered remission via innovative treatments. In 2022 he returned to the Jurassic franchise in Jurassic World Dominion, reconnecting with his blockbuster roots.

More recently, he embraced streaming with roles in Peacock’s Apples Never Fall (2024) as the family patriarch, and Netflix’s thriller Untamed (2025) as Paul Souter. In early 2024, he celebrated Cillian Murphy’s Oscar win over Bloody Marys, a charming peek at real-life camaraderie born from their Peaky days.

Tom Hardy's Alfie Solomons arrived like a storm. He was eccentric, unpredictable, and unforgettable. With poetic menace and ragged charisma, Hardy turned Alfie into a cultural icon. One minute he was philosophizing over tea; the next, he was unleashing razor‑sharp threats through a haze of smoke.

Alfie wasn’t just a gangster either. He was performance art and a chaotic soul you’d hate to cross but couldn’t help watching.

Hardy remains a Hollywood force. He completed the Venom trilogy as Eddie Brock and continues to dominate headlines and screens. He also competes in Brazilian jiu‑jitsu tournaments and supports veterans' causes, adding surprising layers to his public persona.

With the upcoming Peaky Blinders film, The Immortal Man, confirmed, fans are buzzing about his possible return as Alfie. Hardy continues to balance blockbuster charisma with passionate off-screen pursuits.

Joe Cole’s John Shelby was the fiery heartbeat of the Shelby crew: charismatic, dangerous, and fiercely protective. As the younger Shelby brother, John was loyal to a fault, balancing brotherly love with reckless bravado. His impulsive choices and fervent passions made every scene crackle with tension, which made his Season 4 death all the more crushing. Cole played John's arc with raw urgency, turning his demise into one of the series' most gut-punching moments.

Since departing Peaky Blinders in 2017, Cole has become a stand-out in gritty, high-stakes dramas. He earned Best Actor at the 2018 British Independent Film Awards for his harrowing turn in A Prayer Before Dawn, a prison drama shot in Thailand’s real jails.

He then brought complex energy to Gangs of London, where he portrays Sean Wallace, a dangerous scion of a crime family. The series has become a modern crime staple, securing Cole’s status as one of Britain’s most intense, compelling talents.