Cillian Murphy shares his honest thoughts on his Peaky Blinders character’s iconic haircut

Cillian Murphy has recently spoken again about Tommy Shelby’s haircut, saying he does not miss it, though he recognizes its global popularity.

The Irish actor, known for his intense dedication to his craft, admits that the look has become a cultural phenomenon he never quite expected. While fans across the globe have flocked to barbershops to mimic the 1920s Birmingham style, Murphy himself has spent years feeling less than enthusiastic about the maintenance and the attention it draws.

Here is the inside scoop on how the star really feels about the hair that defined a decade of television.

The struggle with the signature Shelby fade

The high-and-tight undercut became a visual shorthand for the Peaky Blinders, but Murphy initially found the look quite jarring and intense.

When he first stepped into the role of Tommy Shelby, the actor had to reconcile his own preference for longer, more relaxed hair with the severe aesthetic of a post-war gangster. Murphy has indicated that the haircut made him more recognizable and harder to keep incognito during filming periods.

Murphy has joked in several interviews that he doesn’t personally see the appeal of the cut as a modern fashion statement. He remains surprised that a look designed to be utilitarian and period-accurate became a staple in modern grooming. For him, the shave is a “work uniform” rather than a style he would ever choose to rock on a red carpet or during a hiatus.

Fun fact: The undercut style was originally popular among the working class in the early 20th century because it was easy to maintain and helped prevent the spread of lice in cramped living conditions.

Why Cillian Murphy isn’t a fan of the maintenance

Maintaining the crisp lines of the Shelby fade required constant attention from the show’s hair and makeup department throughout the long shoots. Murphy has described the process of getting his head shaved every few days as a tedious necessity of the job. Because the show films out of chronological order, the fade had to look identical in every scene to maintain continuity across an entire season.

The actor has often noted that the “freshness” of the cut is what makes it so striking, but that freshness is fleeting. He spent countless hours in the chair having his sides buzzed down to the skin to ensure the silhouette remained sharp. For a man who famously avoids the spotlight and prefers a low-profile existence, such a high-maintenance look is the opposite of his natural vibe.

The haircut as a psychological tool

Despite his personal gripes with the look, Murphy acknowledges that the haircut is essential for finding the character of Tommy Shelby. He has stated that putting on the heavy wool coats and getting the haircut is like putting on a suit of armor. The physical transformation helps him shed his quiet, introverted nature and adopt the cold, calculating persona of the Peaky Blinders leader.

For Murphy, the haircut serves as a clear boundary between himself and the character he has played for nearly a decade. Once the hair grows back, he feels he can finally leave Tommy Shelby behind and return to his own identity. It is a physical manifestation of his “on” and “off” switch for the grueling role.

How the haircut became a global phenomenon

While Murphy might not be rushing to the barber for a fade himself, he is well aware of the massive influence the show has had on men’s grooming. From London to New York and beyond, “the Tommy Shelby” became one of the most requested haircuts of the 2010s. Murphy finds it “crazy” that people want to look like a 1920s criminal, but he appreciates the passion the fans have for the show’s aesthetic.

He has often expressed a sense of bewilderment at the trend, noting that the cut was meant to look “tough” and “brutal” rather than “trendy.” In his view, the fact that it crossed over into mainstream fashion is a testament to the show’s powerful storytelling and visual world-building. Even if he doesn’t love it on himself, he respects the impact it has made.

Fun fact: Cillian Murphy was a vegetarian for over 15 years, but he famously started eating meat again specifically to bulk up and look less “skinny” for his role as Tommy Shelby.

The return of the razor for the Shelby finale

Murphy returned to Tommy Shelby’s signature haircut for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, which premiered in Birmingham on March 2, 2026, before opening in select cinemas on March 6 and landing on Netflix on March 20.

He has admitted that while he enjoyed his longer hair during the hiatus, returning to the world of Tommy Shelby required a total commitment to the character’s gritty 1940s appearance. He understands that the fans expect a certain look, and he delivered it for this final chapter of the Shelby saga.

The actor’s honest thoughts on his hair remind us that even the biggest stars have “work” aspects they aren’t fond of, regardless of how cool they look on screen. Murphy’s ability to separate his personal tastes from the needs of the character is what makes him one of the most respected actors of his generation.

TL;DR

• Cillian Murphy personally finds the iconic Tommy Shelby haircut high-maintenance and “intense” for daily life.
• He uses the haircut as a psychological tool to help him transform into the character during filming.
• The actor is surprised that the 1920s-style undercut became a major global fashion trend.
• Murphy prefers having longer hair because it allows him to remain anonymous in public.

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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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