Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight has addressed Paul Anderson’s absence from new film The Immortal Man following a scene viewers are calling “confusing” and “disrespectful”.
Cillian Murphy has returned as Tommy Shelby in a follow-up to the BBC series, which is currently topping the charts on Netflix – and while the film introduced new cast members, including Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth and Barry Keoghan, it also welcomed back faces familiar to the show’s fandom: Sophie Rundle, Ned Dennehy and Stephen Graham as volatile gangster Alfie Solomons.
But one actor who isn’t in the film is Paul Anderson, who memorably played Tommy’s brother Arthur in the series. In fact, The Immortal Man reveals that, during the gap between the series and the film, Arthur Shelby was strangled to death by Tommy after his opium-addicted brother stole from him.
This plot development has been met with outcry, with viewers highlighting it as one of the most “out of place” sequences in the film. While the scenes are shown in a flashback, Anderson does not play the character, and his face is obscured from view.
Knight has now said there were no plans to bring Anderson back, telling The Hollywood Reporter: “What I’ll say is that the story determines the cast, and the story was set. I knew that Tommy needed to have done something that he couldn’t forgive himself for.
“Therefore, that’s why the plot went in that particular direction. But in terms of Paul, all I’ll say is that he’s a fantastic actor.”
Anderson’s role in the new film was thrown into question when he pleaded guilty to crack cocaine possession in January 2024.
According to Mail Online, police were called after a pub manager discovered what he believed were crack cocaine fumes coming from the disabled toilet after Anderson had been in there.
The British actor, whose other credits include The Revenant and the recent Kevin Hart film Lift, was reportedly taken to a police station where crack cocaine, amphetamines, diazepam and pregabalin were found.
Anderson pleaded guilty to possessing class A crack cocaine, class B amphetamines and two class C prescription substances.
But the actor’s lawyer is believed to have told the court that Anderson had not been smoking crack cocaine, and reportedly said: “You will recognise the defendant from a very intense part that he has played in a recent television programme. He is often recognised and does his best to please fans of the show by slipping into character.
“He was recognised that Boxing Day and tried to play up for these people – and because of the lifestyle he leads, people often give him inducements.”
The following month, in February 2024, Anderson addressed concerns over his appearance after a photo left many fans concerned for his health.
The actor reassured his fans that he is OK, and shared a new photo of himself on the set of historical series The Gray House in London’s Soho.
“Back to business and back on set today,” he wrote on Instagram Stories, adding: “Thank you for all your love and concern to everyone. I was and have been absolutely flattened by the flu. #nofilter.”
Anderson added in a separate post: “I also want to take time to thank each and every one of you all over the world for all the messages of love and support, I see you and appreciate it humbly and sincerely.
“Always remember nobody cares about the truth when the lie is way more entertaining than the truth. I am back don’t you worry about that.”
