One Peaky Blinders Character Was Recast Three Times And Fans Totally Missed It

After six seasons of "Peaky Blinders," Steven Knight has created a world full of unforgettable characters thanks to some world-famous stars who bring them to life. Through Cillian Murphy's piercing blue eyes, Thomas Shelby springs to life with a thousand-yard stare. Thanks to Tom Hardy's snarling, brutish screen presence, Alfie Simmons raises the tension of any room to unspeakable highs. It's also why, even years after her passing, we still listen for the footsteps of Helen McCrory's Polly Gray. These are the roles we can't imagine anyone else taking over; however, in perhaps one of the most important and rarely seen characters in the show, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, this legendary figure was portrayed by three different actors, one of whom was hidden under carefully applied prosthetics.

Initially appearing in the first season of "Peaky Blinders," Churchill isn't quite at the status of the figure he'd become, but nevertheless has enough power to send Inspector Campbell (Sam Neil) on a mission to investigate the gang led by Thomas Shelby. At this point, he was portrayed by actor Andy Nyman, who appeared in three episodes of the show before being replaced by Richard McCabe in season 2, who made two appearances thereafter. It wouldn't be until season 5 that Churchill would return, this time played by Neil Maskell under impressive prosthetics to bring the legendary Prime Minister to li,fe and remained as Churchill until season 6. For Maskell, it was a role the star loved getting to grips with, but don't expect him to be returning in the Shelby's big screen outing.

Speaking to NME about the role, Neil Maskell expressed his love for taking on the chain-smoking leader of the U.K. "I had great, great fun playing that and Cillian enjoyed doing those scenes because, you know, it's almost like a flirtation really." That kind of relationship makes sense, given that Steven Knight has expressed how easy it was writing Churchill and how similar he was in nature to Shelby himself. Unfortunately, it seems that the famous figure won't be present in "The Immortal Man," the Netflix feature film that carries on from the last season of "Peaky Blinders." Given that the show is set during WWII, it makes sense, as Churchill will be busy leading his country into one of history's darkest chapters. Well, at least Maskell hopes that's the case.

"But if there's a Winston Churchill in and it's not me, 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!" Admittedly, "The Immortal Man" has some big names involved already, with Murphy being joined by Tim Roth, Rebecca Ferguson, and Barry Keoghan all in still secretive roles. See how they play a part in the next chapter of the Shelby story when the movie arrives on Netflix and in theaters later this year.