‘I Couldn’t Do This Without Her’: Inside the Real Love Lives of the ‘Peaky Blinders’ Cast
Find out who Tommy Shelby or Alfie Solomons are married to, dating—or rumored to be with!
To this day, Peaky Blinders remains one of the most celebrated crime dramas, with performances that almost get better and better each time you re-watch. One of the most powerful gangs to dominate post-WWI Britain are the Peaky Blinders, led by the even-keeled, confident and stoic Tommy Shelby, portrayed expertly by Cillian Murphy, years before he took home the Academy Award for Best Actor in Oppenheimer (2023). Though the series had a tendency to be dark, violent and dramatic, from time to time, there was a good dose of romance thrown into the mix—and off screen, the actors and actresses who brought them to life have found some of their own. Here, a look at some of the real-life relationships of the Peaky Blinders cast.
Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness
Though you’d think with an Oscar under his belt and a starring role in one of the biggest films of the last few years, Cillian Murphy would be chasing the limelight, but the reality is far from it. The 49-year-old Irish actor, despite his fame and accolades, lives a very private and quiet life in Ireland with his children and wife, Yvonne, who he has been married to since 2004. Yvonne is an artist, and Murphy is sure to give credit where credit is due when it comes to the role she plays in his life.
“That work-life-balance thing is hard. I have an amazing wife,” he told GQ back in 2019, “and I couldn’t do this without her and her understanding. But it is a struggle. I think it is for any dad whose work takes him away, which it generally does, and which consumes him, which my work does.” Regardless, it seems as though this duo has figured out what works for them, and we wish the two nothing but the best.
Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley
Tom Hardy met his wife on the set of Wuthering Heights back in 2009, and only a year after getting to know one another, he asked for her hand in marriage; the duo officially tied the knot back in 2014. Charlotte is an actress as well, and you might even recognize her for her role in Peaky Blinders! In the show, she played the part of May.
“He’s great around the house,” Charlotte revealed about her hubby in an interview with The Herald Scotland back in 2015. “We do designated things. I love recycling. He’s good at making the bed. It works brilliantly.”
Annabelle Wallis and Sebastian Stan
Annabelle Wallis portrayed Grace, Tommy Shelby’s most significant love interest in the series, but outside of the screen, Wallis found love in fellow actor Sebastian Stan. This duo were first rumored to be together back in 2022, and though they’ve only recently been appearing publicly together on red carpets, the two keep a relatively low profile.
Helen McRory and Damian Lewis
Helen McRory’s character of Aunt Polly was an absolute firecracker, and off-screen, she left her mark on the world as well. She was married to actor Damian Lewis up until 2021, when she tragically passed away after a private battle with breast cancer. Though she’s no longer with us, her husband has opened up about the loss in a profound and candid way over the last few years.
“Already I miss her,” he wrote in a touching tribute published by The Times shortly after she passed. “She has shone more brightly in the last months than you would imagine even the brightest star could shine. In life, too, we had to rise to meet her. But her greatest and most exquisite act of bravery and generosity has been to ‘normalise’ her death. She’s shown no fear, no bitterness, no self-pity, only armed us with the courage to go on and insisted that no one be sad, because she is happy. I’m staggered by her. She’s been a meteor in our life.”
Sophie Rundle and Matt Stokoe
Sophie Rundle portrayed Ada Shelby in Peaky Blinders and in real life, she’s been with fellow actor Matt Stokoe for quite some time, and the two are engaged with two children together.
Finn Cole and Florence Pugh? We hope so!
Finn Cole portrayed Michael Gray in Peaky Blinders and outside of the show, he’s been linked to another major English starlet—Florence Pugh! The two have been rumored to be together over the last year or so, and though neither has confirmed, signs are pointing toward “yes!” Recently, Cole shared a photo of himself at the premiere of one of Florence’s newest films, Thunderbolts* (2025).
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