‘She was the beating heart of the show’: Cillian Murphy admits he ‘was reeling throughout’ the Peaky Blinders shoot without his late ‘magnificent’ co-star Helen McCrory
- Cillian has admitted he was ‘reeling’ while filming Peaky Blinders’ upcoming sixth series without Helen, who passed away from breast cancer last year
- The actor, 45, who worked alongside his on-screen Aunt Polly since 2013, confessed he had a ‘very unpleasant shooting experience’
- He said: ‘I’ve never lost anyone like that — who was young and a friend. It was very confusing. But she was an absolutely magnificent person’
- The Harry Potter star was unable to participate in production since was suffering from the disease and tragically passed away later in the filming process
Cillian Murphy has admitted he was ‘reeling’ while filming Peaky Blinders’ upcoming sixth series without his late co-star and friend Helen McCrory, who passed away from breast cancer last year.
Speaking to Esquire UK, the actor, 45, who plays Tommy Shelby in the BBC crime drama, spoke about his close relationship with the actress who had played his on-screen Aunt Polly since the show’s conception in 2013, confessing he had a ‘very unpleasant shooting experience, for loads of different reasons’.
He told the publication: ‘I’ve never lost anyone like that — who was young and a friend. It was very confusing. But she was magnificent. She was an absolutely magnificent person.’
Upset: Cillian Murphy has admitted he was ‘reeling’ while filming Peaky Blinders’ upcoming sixth series without his late co-star and friend Helen McCrory
‘We were just reeling throughout the whole thing. She was a dear, dear pal and she was the beating heart of that show, so it felt very strange being on set without her.
‘The difficult thing to comprehend is that, if it wasn’t for Covid, there would be a whole other version of this show with Helen in it. But she was so private and so f*****g brave and courageous.’
The Harry Potter star was unable to participate in the show’s production last year because she was undergoing treatment for cancer before she tragically passed away later in the filming process.
Cillian continued: ‘She was inspirational. People throw that word around, but she genuinely was. Her values, the way she dealt with her kids and Damian [Lewis, her husband of 14 years]… She cares about everybody.
Tragic: The actor, 45, who plays Tommy Shelby in the BBC crime drama, had worked alongside his on-screen Aunt Polly since its conception in 2013 (pictured in 2014)
Opening up: In a new candid interview with Esquire UK, he confessed he had a ‘very unpleasant shooting experience, for loads of different reasons’
‘She’s really funny and really cool, and she had this real warmth. She really cared. It’s just… I still can’t believe she’s not here. It doesn’t make sense.’
The Cork-native also revealed that creator Steven Knight is keen on writing a film based on the hit TV series, to which he would certainly be open to discussing ideas about.
He told the publication: ‘I’m open to ideas. I think he [Steven] wants to, but I haven’t read anything.’
Helen did not film any scenes as her iconic character Aunt Polly in the sixth and final series of Peaky Blinders following her cancer diagnosis.
Emotional: He told the publication: ‘I’ve never lost anyone like that — who was young and a friend. It was very confusing. But she was an absolutely magnificent person’
The BAFTA Cymru award winner did not get the chance to appear in any scenes and creators of the BBC drama had to rewrite ‘vast sections’ of the show.
Fans of the show will be heartbroken to learn that Helen will not feature in the final installment of the gangster family epic.
Filming for the last series was brought to a standstill in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic and resumed in January 2021.
Helen swore friends to secrecy as she faced gruelling breast cancer treatment.
Reflecting: ‘We were just reeling throughout the whole thing. She was a dear, dear pal and she was the beating heart of that show, so it felt very strange being on set without her’
She passed away in April last year and had appeared on TV to promote the Prince’s Trust only six weeks before her death, and shared her secret struggle with ‘very, very few people’.
A spokeswoman told The Sun: ‘Helen did not film with us in series six but Polly is an ever-present part of the show.
‘She is forever the matriarch of the Shelby family and her presence is always felt by Tommy and the rest of the family. Her influence is an integral part of the season.’
The broadcast date for the new series has been pushed back after Covid delayed post-production but is due tobe unveiled this week.
Looking ahead: The Cork-native also revealed that creator Steven Knight is keen on writing a film based on the hit TV series, to which he would certainly be open to discussing ideas about
According to reports, Aunt Polly was set to have a larger role in the new series, before she had to be rewritten out of the script.
Helen played Polly Gray since series one which aired in 2013 and became a household name thanks to the part and her role in Harry Potter.
She last played the role in 2019.
Her final TV role was in the autumn of 2020, portraying Prime Minister Dawn Ellison opposite Hugh Laurie in the BBC political drama Roadkill.
Awful: The Harry Potter star was unable to participate in the show’s production since was suffering from the disease and tragically passed away later in the filming process (pictured in-character)
Following Helen’s death, her husband Damian Lewis wrote on Twitter: ‘I’m heartbroken to announce that after a heroic battle with cancer…
‘The beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family.
‘She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you.’
He later revealed his late wife had urged him to find love again just two weeks before her death, adding she had shown ‘no fear, no bitterness’ and ‘no self-pity.’
Love: Following Helen’s death, her husband Damian Lewis wrote on Twitter: ‘I’m heartbroken to announce that after a heroic battle with cancer…’
Writing in The Sunday Times, the actor said Helen told him and their children, daughter Manon, 14, and son Gulliver, 13, that she wanted ‘Daddy to have lots of girlfriends’.
He wrote: ‘She has been utterly heroic in her illness. Funny, of course — generous, brave, uncomplaining, constantly reminding us all of how lucky we’ve been, how blessed we are.
‘Her generosity has extended to encouraging us three to live. Live fully, take opportunities, have adventures.
‘Only a couple of weeks ago she said to us from her bed, ‘I want Daddy to have girlfriends, lots of them, you must all love again, love isn’t possessive, but you know, Damian, try at least to get though the funeral without snogging someone.’
Damian also wrote of his heartbreak that Helen had left their children ‘too early’ but they have been prepared for life as she taught them to be ‘courageous’.
He stood by the actress’ side during her illness, with Helen brushing off her hoarse voice in her final TV appearance last month to selflessly talk about their charity work.
The couple’s devotion to one another shone brightly for all to see, with Lewis saying the actress died peacefully at home surrounded by ‘peace and love’ and their children.
The Spring 2022 issue of Esquire UK is on sale from tomorrow.
Heartbroken: In April, Damian announced the Peaky Blinders star passed away after a ‘heroic’ battle with cancer
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