Who is Paul Anderson? Peaky Blinders actor fined for allegedly possessing crack cocaine

On January 25, 2024, Paul Anderson was ordered by the Highbury Corner magistrates court to pay a fine of £1,345, after he pleaded guilty to charges related to drug possession. The news comes after his arrest from a London-based pub on December 26, 2023, where cops reportedly discovered him with crack cocaine and other drugs, as per The Guardian.

The 46-year-old actor is famous for his appearance as Arthur Shelby in Peaky Blinders. Paul is also well known for films such as Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

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Paul Anderson has portrayed various roles in films and TV shows

Paul Anderson made his acting debut in 2003, and his performances have always received positive feedback. While speaking to Interview Magazine in 2015, he revealed that he dropped out of school when he was around 14 or 15 years old and later went to Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.

Anderson continued by saying that he later joined a play at the Royal Court, which was written by Gregory Burke, and they also collaborated on a film.

"Gregory's an amazing writer. It was my first job and I met him fresh from drama school – I hadn't even graduated – and we've remained friends ever since. He always said to me, "One day, I'm going to write a movie" – because he's written quite a few plays –"and I really hope you can do it."

Paul Anderson has been featured in multiple projects over the years. He is popular for his performance as Anderson in the 2015 film, The Revenant, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio.

He spoke about his time working on the film and described director Alejandro G. Inarittu as one of the best that he ever worked with. He also mentioned:

"The movie was supposed to be three months long; it went on for seven months. We spent about four, five months in Canada, in a lovely part of the world called Calgary."

Paul Anderson gained wider recognition after his appearance in Peaky Blinders as Arthur Shelby. The character was featured in all the seasons that aired until 2022. The series also had Cillian Murphy playing the lead role, and it is additionally available for streaming on Netflix.

Paul has also portrayed different roles in films like In the Heart of the Sea, Nightmare Alley, and 24 Hours to Live.

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More about Paul Anderson's arrest and trial

During the trial, Paul Anderson's attorney Moira MacFarlane claimed that the incident was a result of the fact that his client is a popular face on television, and he reportedly tries to impress viewers by adapting himself to the character. She further stated:

"He has found himself in an unfortunate position and should have had the strength to say no."

The Met Police shared a statement on Paul Anderson's arrest, saying that they arrived at the pub at 6:30 pm, after responding to a call from the pub manager. The manager reportedly claimed that he could smell crack cocaine fumes in a non-functional toilet that was used by Paul.

The Guardian states that the police searched Paul, and they discovered that he had crack cocaine with him alongside amphetamines, diazepam, and pregabalin. The police department further stated that charges related to possession of Class A and Class C drugs were imposed on Anderson.