'I don’t socialise, I head home': When Cillian Murphy revealed how his Peaky Blinders role as Tommy Shelby had an effect on his mental state

Cillian Murphy revealed his mental breakdown in an interview with Esquire back in 2019

By Prakriti Sahu

Updated on Sep 11, 2023 | 12:36 PM IST | 1.7M

Had problem with his mental state after peaky blinder (Instagram)

Isn't acting just fascinating? A mere twenty seconds before a scene kicks off, an actor could be engrossed in a silly iPhone game, munching on a huge bag of Skittles, and casually chatting about UFOs with their assistant. But the moment the director shouts "Action!", something magical happens. They transform into a whole new world, fully embracing a different persona. It must feel quite surreal. But sometimes actors have to face some drawbacks while they are shooting. And this is exactly what happened with Cillian Murphy. According to Cillian Murphy, the lead of the famous show Peaky Blinder, when it comes to acting, there seem to be two approaches. One is simply delivering the scripted lines, while the other involves immersing oneself entirely in the character's shoes, emotions, and past experiences, even the challenging ones. It's like walking two distinct paths within the same creative journey.

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Family Impact: Cillian Murphy's Role Immersion in Peaky Blinders

Cillian Murphy, well-known for playing Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders, shared that completely becoming the character has led his wife, artist Yvonne McGuinness, and their sons, Malachy (13) and Aran (12), to feel a sense of distance when he's filming. Cillian revealed this fact in an interview he gave to Esquire back in 2019.

Balancing Reality: Cillian Murphy's Transformation into Tommy Shelby and Its Effects

In the interview Cillian said, "When you're in the world of film and television acting, you don't just sit idle in a trailer, passing time with puzzles or other activities. It's a sudden shift from that calm to being fully engaged. If you start from a complete stop, it just doesn't click. I'm not constantly speaking like Tommy in my everyday life, but I have to get close. So, it's true – I'm not fully present during filming. And when we're shooting, I don't socialize; I head home, focus on my lines, and rest."

He further said that Shelby's character carries the weight of haunting wartime experiences. He explains it as a very challenging burden for any actor. The actor coined this process as a way to 'Temporarily escape reality.'

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The Magnum Opus of Cinema and its Responsibilities

Cillian said that participating in film and television entails transitioning from idle moments in a trailer, perhaps solving a crossword or engaging in similar activities, to suddenly immersing oneself in the scene. Thus, if one is starting from a complete halt, the approach doesn't function effectively. While Cillian doesn't consistently adopt Tommy's persona in his everyday conversations, a certain proximity to that mindset is necessary. He further added that personal life while on set was different from socializing, opting instead to return home, memorize the lines, and retire for the night.

Shelby carries the weight of haunting and disillusioning war experiences, a substantial burden for an actor to embody.

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