Jamie Bell Leads 1950s Peaky Blinders Sequel as Half Man Nears 6-Part Finale
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 22
Jamie Bell Leads 1950s Peaky Blinders Sequel as Half Man Nears 6-Part Finale
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 22
Jamie Bell said he is currently filming the untitled Peaky Blinders sequel series, playing Duke — Tommy Shelby’s son and heir — in 1950s Birmingham.
Bell called the role a chance to extend a franchise with a big fanbase, saying the team hopes to deliver something "different and exciting" while keeping details tightly under wraps.
At the same time, Bell is promoting Half Man, Richard Gadd’s six-part drama, whose finale airs next week after putting him through explicit sex scenes, violence and emotionally punishing material.
Bell said Gadd wrote Niall specifically for him and was persuaded by Bell to play Ruben himself, turning the post-Baby Reindeer series into a two-hander about toxic masculinity, repression and self-loathing.
The projects deepen Bell’s shift into prestige TV as the former Billy Elliot star, now 40 and a father of three, lines up Paul Greengrass film The Uprising next.
As Jamie Bell leads the 'Peaky Blinders' sequel, can the new generation truly escape Tommy Shelby's formidable shadow and redefine the family's legacy?
From dancing as Billy Elliot to this dark new role, what does Jamie Bell’s career say about modern masculinity on screen?
How does Richard Gadd's 'Half Man' push the boundaries of depicting trauma and masculinity even further than his hit 'Baby Reindeer'?