Peaky Blinders actor Paul Anderson found himself on the wrong side of the law after being discovered in possession of several drugs last Boxing Day. The actor has now pleaded guilty to four charges of drug possession and was fined an amount of $1500 by a London court. He plays Arthur Shelby Jr. in the series, and his attorney has claimed that he was trying to please fans in character during the incident.
Interestingly, Anderson’s character in Peaky Blinders is a habitual drug user. The actor was a constant presence throughout the series’ six seasons and is set to reprise the role in the planned film version. Anderson recently appeared in Kevin Hart’s Netflix film, Lift.
Peaky Blinders Actor Fined For Drug Possession
On December 26, Peaky Blinders actor Paul Anderson was arrested when law enforcement officers discovered several drugs in his possession. Daily Mail reported that the illegal substances included crack cocaine, amphetamines, and two prescription substances, diazepam and pregabalin. The arrest happened after a manager of a pub near his residence called the local law enforcement about “crack cocaine fumes coming from the disabled toilet after the actor walked out.”
Anderson was with a friend and a 17-month-old baby when the officers later found him. He was brought to the station where the substances were found, but Anderson refused to answer any interview questions. He later tested positive for opiates and cocaine, according to the prosecution. On Thursday, the Legend actor pleaded guilty to four charges of drug possession.
Anderson’s attorney, Moira MacFarlane, made the argument that Anderson was not a frequent drug user, but was slipping in his Peaky Blinders character to please fans. MacFarlane argued that, during the day of the crime, fans recognized him from the BBC Two series and Anderson tried to play up for these people. MacFarlane further shared that he should have had the strength to say no. MacFarlane told the court (via Daily Mail):
“You will recognize the defendant from a very intense part that he has played in a recent television program. He is often recognized and does his best to please fans of the show by slipping into character. He was recognized that Boxing Day and tried to play up for these people. And because of the lifestyle he leads people often give him inducements. He has found himself in an unfortunate position and should have had the strength to say no.”
A few days ago, The Sun reported that producers were investigating Paul Anderson’s on-set behavior after they received a complaint from his co-star in Peaky Blinders. Anderson reportedly denied the allegations against him, and a source close to him shared that the actor was confident that the internal investigation would clear him.
Paul Anderson’s Guilty Plea Puts Peaky Blinders Film In A Tough Spot
Paul Anderson’s Arthur Shelby Jr. was a crucial character in the series, playing the older brother to Cillian Murphy‘s Thomas Shelby. A source shared with Daily Mail that Anderson’s conviction could have a significant impact on the Peaky Blinders film. The source added that it will be tough for the film to bring the character back as if nothing has happened. The source told Daily Mail:
“Steven Knight is still writing the script. But this conviction will create huge problems as it will be so hard to have a Peaky Blinders film without such a pivotal character, while it will be tough having him reprise the role as if nothing has happened. The third option would be to cancel the entire thing. I think it is most likely to go ahead and only Steven knows which characters will feature.”
Interestingly, Anderson originally auditioned for the role of Tommy but was offered Arthur instead. Anderson shared with BBC that he enjoyed playing Arthur since he was not a one-dimensional character, but a deeply flawed, violent, and brutal guy, allowing the actor to play different layers into the role. Peaky Blinders is now available for streaming on Netflix.
