Joe Cole (actor)

Joseph Michael Cole is an English actor. Some of his most notable roles include: Luke in Skins, John Shelby in Peaky Blinders, Marzin and Beckwith in Secret in Their Eyes, Billy Moore in A Prayer Before Dawn, Frank in the Black Mirror episode "Hang the DJ", Sean Wallace in Gangs of London, and Iver Iversen in Against the Ice.

Early life and education
The oldest of five boys, Joe Cole was born around 1988 or 1989 and grew up in Kingston upon Thames in London. His younger brother is actor Finn Cole, who starred alongside him in Peaky Blinders.

He attended Hollyfield Secondary School in Surbiton.

Career
Cole's acting career began when he was accepted into the National Youth Theatre. He obtained his first roles in a one-night show in the West End, on The Bill and Holby City, and then in roles on stage at the Bush Theatre's sell-out School Season. In the 2010s, he wrote a comedy series with Matt Lucas.

From 2013 to 2017, Cole starred as John Shelby in the historical crime drama Peaky Blinders. In 2017, he starred in a season 4 episode of Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror, earning a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor.

For his role as Billy Moore in A Prayer Before Dawn, Cole won Best Actor at the 2018 British Independent Film Awards.