Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Tom Harper, Netflix’s ‘Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man ‘ steps into a world that is five years older than what we last saw in ‘Peaky Blinders‘ season 6. With Tommy stepping out of organized crime and retreating to a life of solitary penmanship, the reins of the Peaky Blinders go to his son, Duke. Instead of consolidating his father’s legacy, however, Duke chooses chaos and essentially resets the beloved gang of thugs to how they used to be in 1919. Barry Keoghan’s approach to the character intentionally recalls the best and worst of Tommy, while also giving Duke a flavor that no character in the period crime drama franchise has ever sported before. A major element in this unique presentation is Duke’s tattoos, which show up only a few times but leave their mark on the audience, as well as the story. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Barry Keoghan’s Temporary Tattoos Make Duke Even More Mysterious
As a part of his portrayal of the dapper but dangerous Duke Shelby, actor Barry Keoghan sports a number of tattoos, each more eccentric than the last. As we never get a good look at his body, all we can make out are seven distinct tattoos, each of which appears to be designed specifically for the movie. With modern makeup and styling techniques, actors no longer need to etch permanent designs into their skin, suggesting that Barry’s tattoos are temporary. This is also confirmed by his public appearances before and after the production period, none of which feature a similar set of designs anywhere on his body. With talented artists like Holly Bliss, Dani Casali, Grayson Galway, and many others spearheading the make-up department, the creators had the freedom to go all-out with their visual storytelling.
Notably, this is not Barry’s first time sporting tattoos for a specific creative project, as his role in ‘Bird’ required a whopping 30+ tattoos. Reports confirm that the actor chose temporary ink to bring all of the unique designs to life, as they are essential to his description as a “punk figure” in the movie. When it comes to ‘Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man,’ however, the ink tells an altogether different story, with values that find their way back to Duke’s overall characterization. In his conversation with Empire, the actor opened up about how he “really did relate to Duke, because there’s this cry for his father and this cry for the figure that he needs to be there.” That personal element shows up in all sorts of details imbued into the character, including his tattoos, which often speak out the unsaid.
What do Duke Shelby’s Tattoos Mean?
There are seven clearly visible tattoos on Duke’s body, starting with two on the right bicep, denoting spread-out legs and the words “self-made,” respectively. While the former design speaks to Duke’s deviant nature, the latter is central to our understanding of him. Duke spends the vast majority of his life socially isolated, with essentially zero support structure to lean back on. This includes Tommy’s avoidance of his responsibilities as a father, and directly feeds into why Duke turned to a life of crime early on. The next tattoo, a dice etched across his right shoulder, is even more symbolically relevant, as it ties into a key moment later in the movie.
When Duke fails to make a choice between killing and not killing his father, he tosses a coin. What appears to be a submission to his fate, however, is later revealed to be a rejection of it, and we can see that thematic beat pan out through his tattoo as well. Next up is a large tattoo of a tiger inked on his chest, which is likely a symbol tied to his Romani heritage. That is even more prominent when we move on to his left hand, which noticeably features the wagon wheel from the flag of the Romani people. This design is fitting on several levels, as not only does it feed into Duke’s cultural heritage and personality, but it also foreshadows a later, potent scene from the movie.
From the tattoo of the wheel spoke, we move on to Duke’s left arm, which carries a design of intersecting lines, possibly referring to the sun. Both tattoos are directly reminiscent of Tommy’s most famous chest tattoo, which can be interpreted as both the rays of the sun and the wheel from the flag. Notably, it has been speculated that the tattoo originally featured Jesus, but that Tommy removed it due to his religious beliefs. In Duke’s case, we see a wholly different case, as his largest tattoo is of a praying set of hands, directed towards two prominent cross symbols. In a way, this tattoo, when paired with the leg design inked on Duke’s other arm, paints the perfect picture of the walking contradiction that is Duke Shelby.
Read More: Peaky Blinders The Immortal Man Ending Explained: Is Tommy Dead? Why Does Duke Kill Him?
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