You’ve probably seen her face a dozen times and wondered where you recognize those piercing eyes from. Maybe it was the grit of a 1920s labor strike or the high-stakes sci-fi world of an alien covenant. Honestly, Charlie Murphy—the Irish powerhouse, not the late comedian—has become one of those "actors' actors" who subtly hijacks every scene she’s in.
She isn't just a face in the crowd. She’s the backbone of some of the most intense dramas of the last decade. From her breakout in the Dublin underworld to leading a controversial erotic thriller on Netflix, her filmography is a masterclass in range. If you’re trying to map out the Charlie Murphy movies and TV shows that actually matter, you have to look beyond the surface level credits.
The Roles That Defined Her
Most people first got a real taste of what she could do in Love/Hate. If you haven't seen it, think of it as the Irish Sopranos but bleaker. She played Siobhán Delaney, and it wasn't just a supporting gig—it was the emotional anchor of a show that was otherwise filled with chaotic violence. She won two IFTA awards for that role, and it basically served as her "I’ve arrived" card in the industry.
Then came Happy Valley.
Her portrayal of Ann Gallagher is arguably one of the most harrowing arcs in modern British television. She goes from a victim of a brutal kidnapping to a police officer finding her own agency. It's a heavy watch. But Murphy plays it with a lack of vanity that makes the character feel like a real person you might meet at a pub in West Yorkshire, not a polished TV trope.
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A Quick Look at the Big Hits
- Love/Hate (2010-2014): As Siobhán, the role that made her a household name in Ireland.
- Happy Valley (2014-2023): Playing Ann Gallagher, a performance that earned her massive critical acclaim.
- The Last Kingdom (2015): She was Queen Iseult, the "Shadow Queen." It was a brief but mystical turn that showed she could do period fantasy just as well as gritty realism.
- Peaky Blinders (2017-2019): She stepped into the shoes of the real-life union leader Jessie Eden.
- Halo (2022-2024): Playing Makee, a human raised by the Covenant. This was her big jump into the "blockbuster" TV space.
Why Jessie Eden in Peaky Blinders Was a Turning Point
When she joined Peaky Blinders in Season 4, she wasn't just playing another love interest for Tommy Shelby. She was playing a historical firebrand. Jessie Eden was a real woman who led thousands of factory workers out on strike in Birmingham.
There was a lot of talk among fans about how the show handled her. Some people loved the "chess match" of intelligence between her and Tommy. Others felt the show focused too much on a fictionalized romance instead of her actual communist activism. Regardless of how you feel about the writing, Murphy’s performance was electric. She captured that "small but mighty" energy perfectly. She looked like she could be pushed over by a stiff breeze, but then she’d open her mouth and command a room of ten thousand people.
The Shift to "Obsession" and Global Fame
In 2023, things got... intense. Obsession hit Netflix, and suddenly Charlie Murphy was the name on everyone’s lips for a very different reason. Playing Anna Barton, a woman involved in a forbidden affair with her fiancé’s father (played by Richard Armitage), was a massive risk.
It was a "dominant submissive" role that required a lot of vulnerability and, frankly, a lot of bravery regarding the intimate scenes. Murphy has spoken about how empowering it was to play a woman who was actually in control of the sexual dynamics, even when the situation was spiraling toward disaster. It was a world away from the rain-soaked streets of Happy Valley.
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The Sci-Fi Pivot: Makee in Halo
If you’re a gamer, you probably have thoughts on the Halo TV series. It’s been polarizing, to say the least. But Murphy’s character, Makee, was one of the most interesting additions to the lore. Playing a human who hates humanity because she was "saved" by aliens is a weird, complex needle to thread.
She had to spend a lot of time acting against green screens and speaking constructed languages. It showed a different side of her—the ability to hold a massive, high-budget production together with a character that could have easily felt cheesy in the wrong hands.
Film Credits You Might Have Missed
While she’s a titan of the "Prestige TV" world, her film work is equally solid.
- '71 (2014): A terrifyingly tense thriller set in Belfast during the Troubles. She plays Brigid.
- The Foreigner (2017): She shared the screen with Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan.
- The Winter Lake (2020): A dark, atmospheric Irish thriller where she plays a mother with some pretty heavy secrets.
- Creation Stories (2021): A biopic about Alan McGee and the rise of Oasis; she plays Kate Holmes.
What's Next for Charlie Murphy?
As of 2026, she isn't slowing down. There’s a lot of buzz around her involvement in Safe Harbour, a thriller where she plays Sloan Walsh, and she’s recently been linked to Ebenezer, a fresh take on the Christmas Carol story.
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What makes her career interesting is the lack of a "type." She doesn't just do "the girlfriend" or "the detective." She bounces between being the hero, the villain, and the tragic figure so fast it’ll give you whiplash.
If you want to dive into her work, don't start with the big American hits. Go back to Love/Hate or the early seasons of Happy Valley. That’s where you see the raw talent that eventually made her a global star.
Next Steps for Your Watchlist:
If you’ve already seen her in Peaky Blinders, your next move should be The Last Kingdom (Season 1) to see her in a completely different light, or '71 if you want a movie that will keep your heart rate at 120 bpm for two hours.