The BBC drama Peaky Blinders is set to return for its fifth season soon [1], and a whole bunch of new cast members have been announced. Not content with getting hearts fluttering with the return of Cillian Murphy's Tommy Shelby [2], this season the show is adding yet another of our favourite actors, Sam Claflin. The Hunger Games star joins a long list of big names who've taken roles in the show, including Tom Hardy [3], Adrian Brody [4], and Game of Thrones star Aidan Gillen [5].
Also joining the cast are Anya Taylor-Joy, Emmett Scanlan, Neil Maskell, Kate Dickie, Cosmo Jarvis, and Brian Gleeson, who may have revealed a slight plot spoiler when he told the Telegraph that he was "looking forward to kicking around in the mud of Northern England with an exceptional cast and crew." [6] Was his "northern" reference alluding to a move from Birmingham on screen [7], or just referencing the fact that a lot of the Midlands-set show is actually filmed in Liverpool and Manchester [8]? Only time will tell, but as we impatiently away the return of the dark, stylish, and beautifully-shot show, find out more about the stars who'll be joining the Shelby family on screen.
Sam Claflin
Sam said of his new role, "From Steven Knight's writing to the consistently brilliant production, I couldn't feel more privileged to be invited to join this iconic show." [9] The Me Before You actor will portray a real character from British history: Oswald Mosley, a far-right politician and leader of the British Union of Fascists.
Anya Taylor-Joy
A still of Anya in costume has been released [10], and shows the Split actress in a fur coat and veiled hat. That suggests she's playing an affluent character, and the "welcome to Birmingham" caption suggests she's definitely not a Shelby. She's also seen in the trailer with Michael, leading us to believe she might be his new love interest.
Emmett Scanlan
Irish actor Emmett, who joins the likes of Nathalie Emmanuel, Ricky Whittle, and James Corden as an alumni of British teen soap Hollyoaks [11], is no stranger to playing bad guys, but let's hope he's on the right side of the battle this time.
Brian Gleeson
Phantom Thread star Brian is part of an acting dynasty: his dad is Harry Potter [12]'s Brendan Gleeson, and Star Wars star Domhnall is his older brother. Like Emmett Scanlan, Gleeson is Irish, so that probably gives us a pretty good hint as to who the Shelby's will be facing off against (or joining forces with) this season.
Kate Dickie
Scottish actress Kate, who's currently appearing in the BBC drama The Cry, has also signed on for season 5.
Cosmo Jarvis
Jarvis got his big acting break in William Oldroyd's Lady Macbeth, but he's also a successful singer-songwriter, and has even written, directed, and produced his own indie movie. We're excited to see how this triple threat fits into the world of the Peaky Blinders.
Neil Maskell
Neil is a familiar face to UK TV audiences, thanks to roles in shows like Humans, No Offence, and Utopia.