Cillian Murphy has recently mourned the heartbreaking loss of Peaky Blinders co-star Benjamin Zephaniah, who died this morning at age 65.
In a statement to PA news agency, the Oppenheimer star wrote, “Benjamin was a truly gifted and beautiful human being — a generational poet, writer, musician and activist.”
“A proud Brummie and a Peaky Blinder. I’m so saddened by this news. RIP,” he added.
For the unversed, Cillian and Benjamin appeared together in the BBC drama between 2013 and 2022, which was based on Shelby crime family in Birmingham in the early 20th Century.
Benjamin played Jeremiah “Jimmy” Jesus, a Jamaican born street preacher and close friend of the Cillian’s lead character, Tommy Shelby.
Moreover, the Peaky Blinders official account on Instagram posted a heartfelt note, writing, they were “shocked and devastated at the news at the death of our friend Benjamin Zephaniah. He was much a much-loved, instrumental and influential part of the Peaky Blinders family from the very start, as well to the creative community at large”.
Benjamin’s account on photo-sharing app disclosed the actor passed away eight weeks after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
To note, the late actor was also well-known for his poetry on British society, challenging racism and institutions such as the British Empire.
Meanwhile, Black Writers’ Guild called Benjamin a “titan of British literature”.