Academy Award-winning actor Cillian Murphy has highlighted an intriguing connection between his iconic “Peaky Blinders” character, Tommy Shelby, and the legendary Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne.
While promoting the highly anticipated feature-length continuation film, “Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man“—which officially premieres on Netflix on March 20—the acclaimed actor participated in a special video segment for the franchise’s official Instagram account. During the interview, the star was tasked with curating a seven-track playlist that perfectly encapsulates the gritty essence of creator Stephen Knight‘s beloved crime drama.
For his opening selection, the actor chose the colossal Black Sabbath anthem “War Pigs“, taken from the pioneering heavy metal band’s landmark 1970 album, Paranoid. Introducing the iconic track, Cillian Murphy simply stated:
“A song from Birmingham.”
Elaborating on the profound impact of the music and paying his respects to the late frontman, he explained the shared rebellious spirit linking the fictional crime boss and the real-life heavy metal pioneer:
“We have Black Sabbath in the show, that tune ‘War Pigs,’ and we lost poor Ozzy Osbourne. It’s just a phenomenal, blistering piece of music. I think you could draw some line between Tommy Shelby and Ozzy Osbourne if you so wished. Kind of rebels, both of them.”
During the conversation, the interviewer pointed out the strong anti-war themes present within the classic metal track. Acknowledging that his television counterpart is far from a pacifist, the actor clarified his character’s specific brand of defiance:
“But I do believe that he has not much time for authority, and hierarchy, and the class system.”
Beyond the heavy metal legends, the actor’s curated playlist also highlighted works by Sinéad O’Connor, Thom Yorke of Radiohead, Leonard Cohen, and David Bowie.
The gritty universe of “Peaky Blinders” has a long-standing relationship with heavy and alternative music. The official 2019 television soundtrack notably included another early Black Sabbath staple, “The Wizard“, alongside hard-hitting contributions from Queens of the Stone Age, Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes, Royal Blood, Idles, and The White Stripes.
The upcoming cinematic chapter drops viewers directly into the turbulence of World War II. According to the official synopsis, Tommy Shelby emerges from a self-imposed exile to confront a devastating new reckoning that threatens both his family and his nation. The star-studded cast for “Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man” includes Cillian Murphy, Barry Keoghan, Stephen Graham, Tim Roth, Sophie Rundle, and Rebecca Ferguson.
