Sophie Rundle, the 37-year-old actress known for her role as Ada Shelby in all six seasons of Peaky Blinders, shares her experiences returning to work just four weeks after giving birth to her first son in Easter 2021. She and her fiancé, Matt Stokoe, are parents to two sons, born in 2021 and June 2024, with names kept private.
Navigating a Rapid Return to Filming
Rundle describes the quick comeback as “crazy” and a “very vulnerable exercise.” Speaking on Josh Smith’s Great Chat Show ahead of the Netflix release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, she expresses pride in the achievement but emphasizes its challenges.
“It was crazy, and I’m really keen to talk about it because I’m incredibly proud of myself and my family for what we did to make that happen, but it wasn’t easy,” Rundle states.
She stresses that such a swift return “wasn’t something we should expect of mothers,” crediting her partner, family, and production team for their support.
The Emotional Toll of Postpartum Filming
Rundle calls her maternity leaves “very strange weird,” noting her first son was four weeks old during the final Peaky Blinders season, and her second was 12 or 13 weeks old for the film. The transition from motherhood’s “seismic shift” to on-camera work felt exposing.
“I think I could have gotten lost in early motherhood… it was very hard having to bring myself out of this really protected, vulnerable space to come back and film something,” she explains.
Yet, she views it as a “lifeline back to myself,” grateful for reconnecting with her pre-motherhood identity amid profound personal changes.
Body Image Concerns on Set
Playing Ada Shelby, a character unaffected by recent childbirth, heightened Rundle’s self-consciousness. “Peaky Blinders is a very aesthetic show, and your body has changed,” she notes, acknowledging the professional demands.
She jokes about requesting a ticker-tape disclaimer: “This actress had recently had a baby.” In a May 2021 Instagram post, Rundle shared a photo changing her baby in her trailer while in costume, calling it “the most challenging thing I’ve ever done.”
“Sleep deprived and slightly delirious… It’s been the most exhausting and challenging thing I’ve ever done but worth it,” she wrote, thanking the cast and crew.
Support from Co-Stars and Industry Shift
After Peaky Blinders, Rundle returned to Gentleman Jack two months later. She praises co-star Suranne Jones for advocating during her pregnancy on the second series.
“Suranne is an amazing, beautiful woman… she really looked after me,” Rundle says.
Rundle highlights a positive industry trend: “There is more appetite for these amazing female protagonists,” crediting supportive women who have shaped her career.
