Barry Keoghan “cracked all [his] knuckles open” and rolled around in pig faeces on his first day filming the Peaky Blinders movie – but still had a “great day”.
Barry Keoghan “cracked all [his] knuckles open” and rolled around in pig faeces on his first day filming the Peaky Blinders movie.
The Crime 101 actor has joined the big-screen spin off as Duke, the son of Cillian Muphy’s Tommy Shelby, and he had a very memorable introduction to the saga when he had to shoot a fight in a pigsty with his on-screen dad.
Asked if a fake substance was used in the pigsty, Cillian clarified to The Guardian newspaper: “No, it was s***. Pigs s*** a lot. They really do s***. And we were in it.”
Barry added: “That was my first day of filming. I cracked all my knuckles open, too. I remember punching the ground and Cillian saying, ‘Oh man, you don’t have to do that.’ But I wanted to, I needed to rev myself up to go for him. It was a great day!”
Barry’s highlight was seeing Cillian in character marching towards him.
He recalled: “He had become Tommy Shelby. I was like, ‘Wow. I’m in trouble now. Where’s Cillian gone?’”
Barry has long been a Peaky Blinders fan so understood the pressure on the film, but had a great time.
He said: “I know there’s a wild fanbase and they will have expectations of this film.
“So it’s impossible not to feel that. But I was made to feel very welcome. And getting to work with Cillian – what a joy.”
The 33-year-old actor was always Cillian’s first choice to play his Peaky Blinders son, after they previously worked together on Dunkirk.
Cillian said: “Barry’s a firecracker – put a camera on him and all of a sudden he’s riveting.
“There’s a danger to him … an unpredictability, which I think you need for that character. But also this vulnerability. And vulnerability on screen is a superpower as an actor.”
The pair had stayed in touch after making Dunkirk in 2017 and Barry was offered the job after getting in touch with Cillian to wish him a Happy Father’s Day back in 2023.
Barry said: “Cillian and Colin [Farrell] are people I admire greatly, and always keep in touch with.”
The message he received in response read: “Thank you. Would you like to play my son in Peaky Blinders the movie?”
The 49-year-old star believes he was the one who first got in touch with Barry, but is happy to let the Banshees of Inisherin star’s account be made official.
He said: “That’s a better story! And I’d definitely forgotten it was Father’s Day. Maybe no one was paying attention to me at home?”
Cracked knuckles and pig poo: Barry Keoghan had an eventful Peaky Blinders welcome
