Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton made a fiery arrival on the set of Peaky Blinders as he was spotted filming his first scenes for the hit show. The 32-year-old actor, cast as Tommy Shelby's son Charles, proved the apple doesn't fall far from the tree as he shot a street brawl in Birmingham on Tuesday.
Intense Brawl Scene
Charles was thought to be defending the honour of his wife, played by Lucy Karczewski, as he threw punches during the fight scene. The actor was spotted laid out on a crash mat on the floor, as precautions were taken to ensure safety while filming the violent moment. Moments earlier, the same man could be seen holding the actress tightly with his hand over her mouth before Charles intervened.
For filming, Charlie wore a brown tweed suit, white shirt and tie, before later removing his jacket to reveal a set of braces. One action-packed scene was filmed in the rain as Charlie dashed down a cobbled street, getting soaking wet. His character was joined by his on-screen wife as she held onto his arm while dashing through the rain.
New Era for Peaky Blinders
Last week, the BBC unveiled a first look at the 'new era' of Peaky Blinders as Charlie Heaton was seen as Charles Shelby for the first time. Worlds away from his role as American teen Jonathan Byers in Stranger Things, the British actor transformed with a short haircut and tailored suit. The teaser image sees the actor looking tense as he stares down the camera lens.
Charlie will play the son of Cillian Murphy's Thomas Shelby and his first love, Grace Burgess, and the half-brother of Duke Shelby, who recently featured heavily in the Peaky Blinders film, Immortal Man. The series, currently filmed in Birmingham and created by Steven Knight, will see Charles take centre stage.
The BBC teased: 'Having fought a violent war, much of it behind enemy lines, Charles Shelby is now embracing normality. He hasn't seen his half-brother Duke – played by Jamie Bell – in years. Charles severed all ties to the Peaky Blinders gang and the hedonistic Shelby lifestyle. But can you ever escape your own blood?'
Cast and Setting
In this new era of Peaky Blinders, set a decade after World War Two, the race to rebuild Birmingham becomes a brutal contest of mythical dimensions. The new series will also feature Silo's Jessica Brown Findlay, The Day of the Jackal's Lashana Lynch, and Stereophonic's Lucy Karczewski. It will premiere on both BBC One and Netflix.
Last month, it was confirmed that Charlie would join Jamie Bell in the series, who will act opposite him as step-brother Duke. Jamie, 40, shot to fame at age 14 with his BAFTA-winning role in Billy Elliot and has since starred in King Kong, Jumper, Rocketman, and All Of Us Strangers. Of the casting, Steven Knight said: 'I am thrilled to announce a new era of Peaky Blinders, moving the story to post-war Birmingham in the early 50s. We are incredibly fortunate to have Jamie Bell taking the role of Tommy Shelby's oldest son, Duke, and Charlie Heaton also leading the cast.'
Peaky Blinders originally ran from 2013 to 2022, following the Shelby family from 1919 through the 1930s. The new episodes are expected to pick up in the fifties, a time of violent Teddy Boy gangs and the rise of the infamous Kray twins in London. Peaky Blinders is available to stream on BBC iPlayer and Netflix.
