Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is set to bring the era of Tommy Shelby to an explosive end. Alongside many returning favorites, the Netflix movie also introduces some new figures to the world, including Rebecca Ferguson's mysterious Queen of the Palmer Witches, Kaulo Chirklo. But if you haven't seen the show, don't worry, as Ferguson says being up to speed with the (mis)adventures of Shelby and co. isn't a prerequisite.
Speaking to GamesRadar+ alongside co-star Cillian Murphy in London, Ferguson notes that while she may have been familiar with Peaky Blinders, she was still several seasons behind the rest of the world when she got the call from Murphy, asking her to play Chirklo.
"I'm not going to lie [to you, Cillian]: I watched the first two seasons, but it's a commitment!" Ferguson says with a chuckle. "I'm quite happy to be honest that I didn't. A lot of people say, 'How do you feel about the fact that there's such a big fan base?' That freaks me out."
As well as Kaulo Chirklo, who can seemingly commune with the dead, Ferguson also plays her twin sister, Zelda, in the movie. We learn that Zelda, who has been dead for many years, is the mother of Duke Shelby (Barry Keoghan), Tommy's illegitimate son, who is now running the Peaky Blinders in Tommy's absence. For Ferguson, the call to join the world of Peaky Blinders came out of the blue, and from Murphy himself who is also a hands-on producer on the movie.
"What I loved was when Cillian contacted me and asked me to do it," Ferguson continues. "I told the people around me who I know are big fans, like my assistant, her dog is called Shelby. The joy is seeing other people's reactions. So I know that I'm a part of something, but also I got to see it not having watched the whole show, and I think it's a really good standalone film. I enjoy the film on its own."
Elsewhere in our chat, Cillian Murphy described Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man as a "natural conclusion" for his iconic Brummie gangster. "I think Steven [Knight, creator] and the universe of Peaky Blinders can continue, you know, and I'm sure it will. But it's been a quarter of my life playing this character, and that's an awfully long time by anyone's standards."
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is playing now in theaters, and releases on Netflix from 20 March. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies, or fill out your watchlist with our list of the best Netflix movies.
