Which actress played Polly Gray in Peaky Blinders?

Helen McCrory played Polly Gray in Peaky Blinders.

McCrory’s character, Elizabeth “Polly” Gray, née Shelby, is the Shelby family’s matriarch, treasurer, and one of its most capable strategists. While the Shelby brothers are away fighting in the First World War, Polly helps manage the family’s criminal operations in Birmingham. After they return, she remains a powerful voice in business, family disputes, and major decisions.

Polly is the mother of Michael and Anna Gray and the aunt of Tommy, Arthur, John, Ada, and Finn Shelby. Her position makes her more than a supporting relative: she often understands the emotional and political consequences of the family’s plans better than the men around her. McCrory played Polly from series 1 through series 5. After the actress died in 2021, the character’s absence became part of the story in series 6. The other listed actresses play different characters, including Lizzie Shelby, Grace Shelby, and Ada Shelby.