Cillian Murphy pays tribute to 'dear friend' Helen McCrory

Peaky Blinders has made an almighty comeback in cinematic form - but for both the cast and the fans, Helen McCrory has left a void that can't be filled.

Five years on from the death of the late and great actress, her on-screen family members who became her close friends have spoken of how they still feel the ache of her absence.

Speaking to LADbible ahead of the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, Cillian Murphy opened up about the 'massive loss' he experienced following the passing of his on-screen aunt.

Take a look at the trailer for the highly-anticipated movie which makes its Netflix debut on 20 March here:

Viewers were first introduced to McCrory's iconic character, Polly Gray, in the pilot episode of Steven Knight's hit series, which aired way back in 2013.

Formidable, fiercely protective and gifted with an insight into what will unfold in the future, the matriarch of the Shelby family is unforgettable in more ways than one.

With quick wit and endless wisdom, she is remembered for adding a much-needed womanly touch to the gritty gangster world that the series is set in.

To put it simply, she's ingrained in the DNA of Peaky Blinders.

McCrory sadly passed away at the age of 52 in April 2021 after an 'heroic battle with cancer', her husband Damian Lewis said in a statement at the time.

As the Covid pandemic forced filming for the sixth season of Peaky Blinders to be postponed, McCrory did not film any parting scenes before her untimely death.

Helen McCrory as Polly Gray alongside nephew Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) (Netflix)

Although her character's story concluded without her, Knight managed to expertly weave Polly into the plot of both the final series and in his new feature film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.

And speaking to LADbible, Murphy poignantly reflected upon the memories he treasures of McCrory and the mark she left on him both personally and professionally.

"I love the way Steve has kept her memory and her character’s memory alive throughout this – particularly in series six and the film," the Oppenheimer actor, 49, told LADbible.

He then spoke of the personal toll McCrory's passing had on both him and the wider cast, while paying tribute to the late mother-of-two.

Murphy said: "She was one of the greatest human beings and one of the greatest actors that I’ve ever encountered.

Murphy has paid tribute to his late co-star, who died after her 'heroic battle with cancer' in 2021 (Karwai Tang/WireImage)

"She was a dear friend. It was a massive loss, a huge loss for everybody."

Despite not being physically present, the queen of the Shelby clan is still very much a part of the new film, and she remains the family's moral compass and emotional anchor.

This particularly applies to her beloved co-star Murphy, who she shared an extraordinary bond with both on-screen and when the cameras stopped rolling.

The Irishman's character perfectly summed up their relationship when he dropped the iconic line, 'Polly was half of me', before shooting McCrory's on-screen son, Michael, in the last series.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is available to watch in cinemas now, and will be available to watch on Netflix on 20 March.