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Most of us recognize Tommy Shelby’s icy gaze and impeccably tailored hats. Yet, you might’ve skipped one of Peaky Blinders’ most substantial presences of Winston Churchill. Certainly, the legendary British statesman appeared sporadically throughout Shelby’s history. He was depicted by not a single, not a duo, but a triad of diverse actors. One of them was fully hidden under heavy prosthetics.
Winston Churchill Was Cast Thrice In Peaky Blinders
While the Shelby gang made headlines and bodies disappear, Winston Churchill quietly shaped the bigger picture behind the scenes. But unlike Tommy’s role, Churchill’s face kept modifying. First, Andy Nyman brought him in during season 1. Then Richard McCabe stepped in for season 2. Finally, Neil Maskell took over for the final stretch. He was completely unrecognizable beneath some top-tier prosthetic work.
We know that back in season 1, Churchill wasn’t the wartime icon yet. Still, he had enough pull to send Inspector Campbell (played by Sam Neill) chasing after the Shelbys. Andy Nyman handled this early version of Churchill, popping up in three episodes before the show switched gears.
Neil Maskell joins the cast as Winston Churchill in #PeakyBlinders Series 5. Starts this Sunday at 9pm on @bbcone. pic.twitter.com/8Q5hSzUlf0
— Peaky Blinders (@ThePeakyBlinder) August 23, 2019
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Season 2 brought in Richard McCabe. A new face with the same mission. But Churchill’s screen time stayed limited, always lurking in the background like a political storm cloud. Fast forward to season 5, and the man returns. However, this time with Neil Maskell behind the cigar. And boy, did he lean into the role. “I had great, great fun playing that,” Maskell told NME. “And Cillian Murphy enjoyed doing those scenes because, you know, it’s almost like a flirtation really.”
So what about the upcoming Netflix film The Immortal Man? The one that resumes the Peaky Blinders tale. Now the question is, will Netflix film The Immortal Man have Churchill? No, he’s out of the flick, and it makes sense, honestly. The film moves into the thick of WWII. Churchill’s too busy rallying a nation to light a cigar with Tommy. Still, Maskell would’ve loved another shot at it.
“But if there’s a Winston Churchill in and it’s not me,” he said, “NME readers can be assured that wasn’t my decision. I would be deeply hurt if they decided to, but then again, I understand they could probably throw a stick and hit a bigger star to play him!” Fair enough!
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