Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for Peaky Blinders season 6.
2022’s Peaky Blinders season 6 will be the final season of the hit gangster show and will see the main cast return along with an array of new characters. Peaky Blinders has become a worldwide cultural phenomenon since its humble start on BBC2 back in 2013. The success of the show is in no small part down to its rich cast of characters, all painted in various shades of moral grey. Peaky Blinders has seen a wealth of talented actors guest star over the seasons as allies and antagonists to Tommy Shelby, including Sam Neil, Paddy Considine, Adrien Brody, and Aidan Gillen. Peaky Blinders season 6 will be no different, with Stephen Graham making his Peaky Blinders debut. At the end of Peaky Blinders season 5, Tommy was at his lowest ebb.
Tommy’s scheme to assassinate fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin) ended in failure. Haunted by an apparition of his deceased wife Grace, he was left standing in a field screaming with a gun to his head. Peaky Blinders season 6 won’t be the end of the Shelby family’s story though, with a proposed movie set to shoot next year.
Below is a guide to all the main cast members returning for Peaky Blinders season 6, along with new and supporting characters. One character unfortunately not returning is Polly Gray, aunt to the Shelby boys and matriarch of the family. Following the sad passing of Helen McCrory last year, the show had to write her character out of season 6. Notwithstanding this, creator Steven Knight has stated that Aunt Polly’s (and Helen McCrory’s) influence is very present throughout Peaky Blinders season 6, even if she’s not physically on screen.
Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby
The leader of the Peaky Blinders, Tommy Shelby is one of TV’s most rich and compelling characters. His calculated brilliance and ability to (almost) stay one step ahead of everyone else is marred only by his crippling PTSD and grief at the loss of his wife Grace. It’s hard to imagine Peaky Blinders without Cillian Murphy, but the show’s MVP almost didn’t get cast as Tommy Shelby, as Jason Statham was lined up for the role. Fortunately, the Inception star was able to convince Knight to give him a chance, and the rest is history.
Paul Anderson as Arthur Shelby
Arthur is the eldest of the Shelby siblings and Tommy’s right-hand man. In Peaky Blinders, Arthur Shelby is a liability due to his anger issues, but he’s loyal to a fault to his family and Tommy. Paul Anderson got his big break when he was cast as Arther Shelby in Peaky Blinders, and has since gone on to land supporting roles in several movies, including In the Heart of the Sea, and The Revenant.
Sophie Rundle as Ada Shelby
Ada Shelby is the younger sister of Tommy and Arthur and the only female of the Shelby siblings. She’s also the only family member to reject the illegal aspects of the Shelby Company’s various enterprises. Peaky Blinders season 5 saw her become pregnant, while her partner Ben Younger was murdered by a car bomb. Sophie Rundle is a mainstay of British television in shows such as Jamestown, Bodyguard, and Gentleman Jack.
Finn Cole as Michael Gray
While he didn’t grow up as a Peaky Blinder, returning character Michael Gray is Polly’s biological son and was accepted into the family. Tensions are currently high though after Michael was cast out of the gang following a failed buy-out, and is set to turn from ally to adversary for Tommy in Peaky Blinders season 6. Finn Cole had a small role last year in F9 playing the young version of Dom’s brother Jakob Toretto. His elder brother is Joe Cole, who played the ill-fated John Shelby in the first four seasons of Peaky Blinders.
Harry Kirton as Finn Shelby
Finn is the youngest of the Shelby siblings. Being mostly shielded from the violent and duplicitous nature of the family business, his naivety has resulted in him unwittingly jeopardizing Tommy’s plans. Aside from Peaky Blinders, Harry Kirton has few acting credits to his name, which is understandable given his young age.
Tom Hardy as Alfie Solomons
Rival gang leader Alfie Solomons is perhaps the most enjoyable character of Peaky Blinder‘s rich ensemble, being is as unpredictable as the British weather. He’s assisted and betrayed Tommy more than once, but his double-dealings have got him into trouble. Whether he’s friend or foe in Peaky Blinders season 6 remains to be seen, but Tom Hardy’s spellbinding performance is endlessly entertaining.
Sam Claflin as Sir Oswald Mosley
Season 5’s antagonist Sir Oswald Mosley managed to outsmart Tommy’s attempt to assassinate him in the finale. Leader of the British Union of Fascists, Mosley is returning in Peaky Blinders season 6 to once again go up against Tommy in a deadly battle of wits. Sam Claflin’s most recognized role is as Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games sequels.
Peaky Blinders Season 6 New Characters (And Who Plays Them)
Conrad Khan as Erasmus “Duke” Shelby: Near the end of Peaky Blinders season 6, Erasmus “Duke” Shelby gets introduced to the family. Duke is actually Tommy’s first-born son, whom Tommy had before the Great War. The young Conrad Khan is a promising actor with notable appearances in Black Mirror, Baptiste, and The Huntsman: Winter’s War.
James Frecheville as Jack Nelson: A south Boston gang leader, Jack Nelson meets Tommy on Miquelon Island in Peaky Blinders season 6, episode 1 “Black Day.” Apart from being Gina’s uncle, Nelson is also integral to Tommy’s operations between England and the U.S. Like many in the Peaky Blinders cast, the character of Jack Nelson is based on a true story. James Frecheville’s other notable roles include Animal Kingdom, The Pursuit of Love, and The Stanford Prison Experiment.
Stephen Graham as Hayden Stagg: A union convenor, Hayden Stagg joins Peaky Blinders in season 6. Stagg crosses paths with the Blinders when he steals drugs from their operation. Stephen Graham will be familiar to long-time crime drama enthusiasts because he plays Al Capone in Broadwalk Empire, and also appears in The Irishman, Snatch, and Gangs of New York.
Amber Anderson as Lady Diana Mosley: The wife of Sir Oswald Mosley will also be introduced in Peaky Blinders season 6. Diana Mosley was part of the “Bright Young Things” social group of Bohemian young aristocrats and socialites in 1920s London, before becoming embroiled in fascism. Amber Anderson acted in (on-screen husband) Sam Claflin’s The Riot Club but is best known for playing Jane Fairfax in Anya Taylor-Joy‘s Emma.
Aneurin Barnard as Doctor Holford: Throughout Peaky Blinders season 6, Doctor Holford has a small but crucial role in Tommy’s final fate in the series. A diversely talented actor, Aneurin Barnard appears in the London showing of the Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening, and also appears in Hunky Dory, The Truth About Emanuel, and The White Queen.
Peaky Blinders Season 6 Supporting Characters
Natasha O’Keeffe as Lizzie Shelby – Lizzie is Tommy’s second wife and mother to Tommy’s daughter Ruby. Though Tommy’s grief for Grace has caused them to drift apart, she’s decided to stay with him despite his distance and infidelity. Natasha O’Keeffe is best known outside of Peaky Blinders for her role in the British sci-fi drama Misfits, and for playing “The Abominable Bride” in an episode of Sherlock.
Anya Taylor-Joy as Gina Gray – Married to Michael Gray, American Gina Gray displays a cunning and scheming side that could spell big trouble for Tommy in Peaky Blinders season 6. After widespread acclaim for her debut role in The Witch, Anya Taylor-Joy shot to fame with Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit.
Ned Dennehy as Charlie Strong – The non-biological uncle of the Shelbys, Charlie’s been part of the Peaky Blinders gang since the beginning. Character actor Ned Dennehy has popped up in Good Omens, Dickensian, and was the villain in the Daniel Radcliffe action-comedy Guns Akimbo.
Packy Lee as Johnny Dogs – Tommy’s loyal eyes and ears, Johnny Dogs is always willing to do what needs to be done for the Peaky Blinders. Packy Lee’s other credits include The Frankenstein Chronicles and The Witcher.
Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Esme Shelby – after sitting out season 5, Esme, widow of John Shelby, returns for Peaky Blinders’ final season. Part of the Lee family, a gypsy family from Birmingham, her return could come at a critical time for Tommy Shelby as his enemies close in. Aimee-Ffion Edwards has acted in numerous TV shows, including Luther, Wolf Hall, and War of the Worlds.
Annabelle Wallis as Grace Shelby – Apparitions of Grace have been haunting Tommy through season 5, leading him to put a gun to his head at the season finale. Whether Grace’s ghost returns in Peaky Blinders season 6 remains to be seen. Annabelle Wallis’s success in the early seasons of Peaky Blinders led her to Hollywood, where she starred in various movies such as Annabelle, Tom Cruise’s The Mummy, and Malignant.
Peaky Blinders season 6 is streaming on Netflix.
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