Helen McCrory's journey from playing a protective mother in 'Harry Potter' to gang matriarch in 'Peaky Blinders' has been phenomenal

The British actress has played a number of unconventional roles -- each getting more ambitious than the previous one.
UPDATED APR 2, 2019

There are only a few actresses who have been able to portray a mother who commits heinous crimes while maintaining her image as the savior matriarch. Going by this record then, British actress Helen McCrory has time and again excelled in roles that proved a mother is not only committed towards the well-being of her children but can be selfish enough to disregard the affairs of the world solely for the benefit of motherhood. Her characters might not be diverse but the confined roles that she plays have been executed until the last morsel has been squeezed out of those characters. 

At the moment, McCrory is best known for her role as the Shelby matriarch, Polly Grey, a gypsy woman who is able to talk to spirits but at the same time commits a murder in the cleanest possible way. Polly Grey is one of the leading women on BBC One's 'Peaky Blinders' but unlike her fellow characters, Polly holds the upper hand when it comes to the Shelby family business. As the company's treasurer, Polly decides where the money goes and what happens with it, and let's keep in mind this is a woman who lives in the early 1910s, a time when due to World War I men were out in the battlefield and women for the first time were taking control over business. 

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

The 2026 Producers Guild Awards saw ‘One Battle After Another’ take the top prize, while ‘The Pitt’ and ‘The Studio’ scored major TV wins
2 hours ago
‘One Piece’ Season 2 finale reveals Sir Crocodile as the mastermind behind Baroque Works, setting up the explosive Alabasta war for Season 3
2 hours ago
Nicole Kidman will reprise her role as Kay Scarpetta as Prime Video moves forward with Season 2 production.
3 hours ago
Disney’s ‘Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special’ preview reunites Miley Cyrus with Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus ahead of its premiere
6 hours ago
'Silo' Season 3 will pull material from two books in Hugh Howey's trilogy: ‘Shift’ and ‘Dust’
8 hours ago
Season 5 of 'Dark Winds' is expected to premiere next year in between June and July, as four episodes remain in Season 4.
17 hours ago
Abdul-Mateen II stars as John Creasy, a former US Special Forces operative who is forced to reconcile with his past demons in 'Man of Fire.'
18 hours ago
‘One Piece’ Season 2 sparks buzz around Ace as Netflix confirms a major casting update and plans for the fan-favorite character’s future.
21 hours ago
Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ continues to expand its world, hinting at larger arcs and dangerous battles for Luffy and his crew.
23 hours ago
The third installment of the series features Kitty in her senior year of high school as she prepares for college
1 day ago