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The Guardian
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Stephen Graham recognised me from Nando's': how James Nelson-Joyce became TV's hottest rising star
James Nelson-Joyce is still buzzing. Two days ago, he not only watched his beloved Liverpool FC clinch the Premier League title but led a celebratory dance with his heroes. 'I ended up in the Anfield boardroom after the match, then partied with the team,' he grins. 'The DJ clocked that I was there, played Andy Williams' House of Bamboo and it all went right off.' The 36-year-old Merseysider is now starring in BBC gangland thriller This City Is Ours, in which a local crime family perform a choreographed line-dance to the loungecore classic. 'Harvey Elliott and a few other players dragged me on to the dancefloor and made me do it with them,' he chuckles in disbelief. 'They all love the show, which is a huge compliment.' Nelson-Joyce is on something of a winning streak himself. As well as This City Is Ours – which reaches its finale this Sunday – he's a scene-stealer in the hit period boxing drama A Thousand Blows and the latest season of Black Mirror. His simmering screen presence and canny taste in projects have made him one of the hottest actors around – and it's partly thanks to a fateful meeting in Nando's. 'I'd just left drama school and saw Stephen Graham in Nando's with Hannah [Walters, his wife]. If it was anyone else, I'd never have gone over but Stephen was my idol. So I just said, 'Look, lovely to meet you. You're the reason I got into acting.' I told them to enjoy their dinner and sat back down. A bit later, Hannah came over and went: 'There's something about you. You remind me of Stephen when he was younger. Here's our email.'' Two years later, Nelson-Joyce landed a role in true-crime drama Little Boy Blue as teen gang member James Yates, who supplied the gun that killed 11-year-old Rhys Jones. Graham played Det Supt Dave Kelly. 'At the table reading, I felt these two eyes burning into the side of my head and it was Stephen. He whispered 'You're that lad from Nando's, yeah?' and gave me a thumbs up. It was the biggest pat on the back I could've got.' Graham has since become a friend and mentor, even hooking up Nelson-Joyce with his agent. 'He told me, 'I've only ever done this once before and that was for Jodie [Comer]. I was like, 'Bloody hell!' It's since I met Stephen and Hannah that everything good has come into my life. I'm so grateful but he didn't just do it for me. He's helped a whole generation of working-class actors.' Nelson-Joyce and Graham have shared the screen three times. After Little Boy Blue came Jimmy McGovern's prison drama Time and Steven Knight's A Thousand Blows, in which they portray pugilistic siblings Treacle and Sugar Goodson. 'It's such a treat to play brothers,' smiles Nelson-Joyce. 'He's still my idol, as much as he's one of my closest friends.' Nelson-Joyce's preparation for the period piece got off to a shaky start. 'I'm a history nerd and learned how malnourished everyone was in the 1880s, so I slimmed down for the part. I turned up for the first day of fight training and there was Stephen looking like a mini Mike Tyson and Malachi [Kirby] ripped to shreds. I thought 'I've gone about this all wrong. Better get on the protein quick.'' He and Graham were last seen beating each other senseless in a brutal pub brawl. 'That fight took a full day's filming. Because me and Stephen are so close, we pushed the boundaries with the stunts. We did certain things that we shouldn't have but it looked good on camera. At one point, Ashley Walters [who was directing] jumped out of his seat to check we were OK. Me and Stephen just looked at each other and smiled. I went to Glastonbury that night and all weekend, I was still finding bits of blood in my hair.' Graham often uses a characters' shoes and walk as a way into inhabiting them. Nelson-Joyce's method is musical: 'I start by building a playlist, then go out walking, listening to it. But I've robbed a little something off Stephen as well. He always gets an aftershave for each character he plays. Now I do that too. In This City Is Ours, I wear Prada – an expensive fragrance for a successful guy. Johnno in Time wore Joop! Little things like that help add layers.' That Prada-scented creation is Michael Kavanagh, trusted right-hand man of crime boss Ronnie Phelan (Sean Bean). As Ronnie eyes retirement, a bloody battle erupts over who will inherit his empire: the quietly ambitious Michael or Ronnie's hot-headed son Jamie (Jack McMullen). 'It's like Shakespeare or Succession. Who's next in line? Who will you side with?' Further complications come from the fact that Michael is head-over-heels in love with girlfriend Diana (Hannah Onslow). The couple are trying to conceive via IVF. Fatherhood could put an early end to his criminal career. 'It was the complexity of Michael that appealed to me,' says Nelson-Joyce. 'He's trying to spin plates and balance these two worlds but he becomes more torn and conflicted. He does bad things but his relationship with Diana humanises him and shows his softer side. When I read the script, I knew I had to play him. I fought for this role for eight months. It's the scouse way. We don't give up. You get so many knockbacks in acting but our attitude is: 'I'll fucking prove you wrong!'' The show has been dubbed 'the scouse Sopranos'. As Nelson-Joyce says: 'It's an honour even to be mentioned in the same breath as one of the greatest shows ever made.' The eight-part series makes his home city look epic and cinematic. 'Everyone I've spoken to is proud of it. People stop me in the street all the time, which is lovely. We shot one scene in a restaurant and since the episode aired, it's been booked out. You can't get a table for the next four months. That's the beauty of Liverpool. We back our own. Between the show and the footie, there's a real buzz around town at the minute.' Sean Bean is renowned for dying on screen, with 'death reels' of his various demises online. Spoiler warning, but Nelson-Joyce becomes the latest in a long line of actors to kill him. 'I know,' he sighs. 'I bullied him in Time and here I kill him, which is ironic because I love Sean. He pulled me aside early in filming and said 'You're leading a show for the first time. It's a lot of pressure and you'll probably feel it at some point. When you do, just call me.' I'd describe Sean as a working-class gentleman.' On the Bafta-winning Time, Nelson-Joyce got to work with another of his heroes: screenwriter Jimmy McGovern, who he once sent fanmail. 'Growing up, I didn't know any actors or see it as a career option. But I related to Jimmy's work, especially The Street, so I wrote him an email, telling him he was my favourite writer. Years later, when I met him on-set, it was the only time I've ever been starstruck. My voice went all high-pitched and I darted away, embarrassed.' McGovern, Graham and Bean are kindred spirits in their championing of working-class talent. Nelson-Joyce is a prime example. 'It's about opportunities,' he says. 'To get into drama school, you have to travel down to London and pay to audition. That becomes a barrier. When subjects like drama and music are pulled off the secondary school syllabus, it's even worse. If our industry lacks diverse voices, we all miss out. Working-class shows – and I don't mean poverty porn, I mean authentic stories with heart and soul – can become global hits. Look at Peaky Blinders. Look at the impact of Adolescence. Drama is important. It can change things.' Nelson-Joyce had an additional barrier to overcome. He left school without any qualifications, not realising he was dyslexic. It was his English teacher Miss Griffiths – on whom he admits harbouring a crush – who spotted his performing potential (Nelson-Joyce was the class joker and mimic) and encouraged him to study acting at City of Liverpool college. 'It wasn't until I got to drama school that I got diagnosed,' he recalls. 'I was performing a speech for a play and the director noticed that I wasn't picking up the punctuation. The school put me forward for assessment, which found that I was severely dyslexic.' It hasn't held him back in his burgeoning career. 'You learn ways around it. I find it easier to read off paper, rather than online. Coloured paper helps. I highlight the text, annotate it and break it down. It might take me a little longer but it's just something I have to crack on with.' In Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror, he appears in the episode Plaything as the detective who interrogates and eventually assaults a murder suspect, played by Peter Capaldi. 'It feels like I beat everyone up!' laughs Nelson-Joyce. 'I'm going to get filled in one day, just shopping in town.' Does he fear being typecast as a bad boy? 'I know how I appear, first and foremost. I've always had one of those faces where people think I'm looking for trouble. Secondly, they're interesting parts. I've played some nasty villains but my job as an actor is to understand them. I don't worry about typecasting because I'm doing a job I love. The time to worry is when you're not working. Anything else is champagne problems.' That distinctive face also meant he was cast as dancer Bez in a Happy Mondays biopic. The project was put on hold during the pandemic and is yet to return to production. 'Bez was horrified by being played by a scouser,' laughs Nelson-Joyce. 'We've met a few times and he's an absolutely lovely bloke.' Also on his to-do list is a drama about male suicide. 'It's an epidemic. The biggest killer of men under 45. I'd love to sit down with someone like Jack Thorne or Jimmy McGovern and create something looking into why.' First, though, comes the killer climax of This City Is Ours. 'Prepare to be on the edge of your seat,' he grins. 'It's a helluva ending. We don't know yet but I hope there'll be a second season. The show deserves it.' There would be uproar in the Anfield dressing room if it's denied. This City Is Ours concludes at 9pm Sunday on BBC One and is available as an iPlayer box set.
The Sun
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The 8 stars you forgot were in Coronation Street before finding fame – from BAFTA nominee to a Dame
CORONATION Street has produced many famous faces since it first hit our screens back in 1960. So who's starred in the cast of Coronation Street and gone on to great things? Here's everything you need to know about which former stars have been catapulted to stardom and some of them will surprise you. Visit our dedicated Coronation Street page for all the latest spoilers, pictures and gossip from the cobbles. Stephen Graham 8 Stephen Graham is a huge megastar and well known for his numerous TV shows and films. Including Netflix 's Adolescence, Peaky Blinders, Line of Duty, A Thousand Blows and Venom. But did you know he appeared on Coronation Street back in 1999 as Lee Sanky, one of Steve McDonald's mates? Lee had run in with Jim for getting Steve involved in drug dealing and Graham's younger brother Aston Kelly also appeared on Coronation Street in 2018 as PC Saffer. Joe Gilgun 8 But he made his debut at the age of ten in Coronation Street as Jamie Armstrong - the son of Tricia Armstrong. Cheeky and streetwise, Jamie wasn't afraid to use dirty tricks to get some hands on some extra cash. But everyone laughed when Mike Baldwin was attempting to turf the Armstrongs out of their house and Jamie throw a chamber pot full of water on his head. Michael Ball Corrie Dame Joanna Lumley 8 The nation's sweetheart is best known for her roles in Absolutely Fabulous, The New Avengers, Sapphire and Steel and On her Majesty's Service. She also appeared recently in the Netflix series Fool Me Once, but she strolled the famous cobbles as Elaine Perkins for three weeks in 1973. Elaine Perkins was the graduate daughter of Bessie Street School headmaster Wilfred Perkins and one-time love of Ken Barlow during his teaching days. But Ken liked Elaine more than she liked him and when he called her permissive with other men, she called him a stiff provincial twit. Ralf Little 8 Ralf is best known for his role as DI Neville Parker in Death in Paradise, as well as The Royle Family and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. But he also featured in several episodes of Coronation Street in 1999 as Mark Stranks an assistant at retirement home run by the penny pinching Gerald Lickley. When Martin Platt went for an interview at the home, it was Mark who showed him round on Lickley's instruction, having been told to impress him. June Brown 8 EastEnders icon June was best known as Dot Cotton on the BBC soap opera and for her roles in Dr Who, Minder and The Duchess of Duke Street to name a few. But before her time in Albert Square, June had a stint on the cobbles as Mrs Parsons who paid a visit to Ena Sharples when Ena took an interest in her son Tony's talent with the harmonium in August 1970. Mrs Parsons didn't want to encourage Tony musically and was prepared for an argument with Ena, but Ena only wanted to know why she was so against Tony pursuing a career in music. After her chat with Ena, Mrs Parsons let Tony accept a scholarship at a music college. The following year, she and Ena went together to Tony's first public concert at the college. Anna Friel 8 Anna is best known for her roles in Marcello. Deep Water, Monarch and Limitless amongst others. But in 1991, Anna showed up on the cobbles as Belinda Johnson, the best friend of Vicky McDonald, Steve's first wife. When Vicky's parents were killed in a car crash in Whitby in 1991, the girls planned to have Vicky move into Belinda's house until the idea was quashed by Belinda's parents. However, Belinda and Vicky remained friends and Vicky used Belinda as an Albi for courting Steve McDonald. Sir Ian McKellen 8 Award winning British Icon, Ian McKellen is one of the biggest names to ever walk along the Street's cobbles and yes he was famous before. He has starred in several huge movies, including The Lord of the Rings, The X-Men franchise and The Da Vinci Code. Sir Ian has also shone in major theatre roles such as Macbeth, Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. But back in 2005 he played con artist Mel Hutchwright and took advantage of anyone who would fall for his tricks. From Emily and Norris to Roy and Audrey, Mel conned as many as he could in the street's book club but Ken saved the day when he called him out on his tricks. Michael Ball 8 Michael is a recording artist, actor and musical theatre star, best known for his roles in Les Miserables, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Hairspray and Sweeney Todd. But back in 1985, Michael played the role of tennis coach Malcolm Nuttall in Coronation Street. Malcolm was dating Michelle Robinson before she met Kevin Webster, and viewers were treated to a feisty altercation between the pair. Watch the above video to see what happened on the tennis court.
Metro
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
20 best new TV shows of 2025, according to Rotten Tomatoes
From Netflix to Amazon Prime to Disney Plus to Apple, we're spoilt for choice when it comes to streaming platforms and their content. But with so many TV shows dropping on the daily, it can be hard to decide what to watch. Luckily, we also have access to Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregation website for films and television. Its key feature is the Tomatometer, which provides a score for the title, calculated based on the percentage of positive reviews from a pool of critics. And honestly, it's our most trusted source. So without further ado, here are the 20 best TV shows of 2025. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. That's your viewing content sorted for a few weeks then… This Disney+ series is a revival and continuation of Daredevil. In this show, Matt Murdock (played by Charlie Cox) finds himself on a collision course with Wilson Fisk (played by Vincent D'Onofrio) after their past identities are revealed. Action adventure? Tick. Crime drama? Tick. Superhero vibes? Big tick. Based on the 1985 dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale was adapted into this hit Emmy-winning series. In general, the plot is set in the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian theocracy that has overthrown the United States. Fertile women in Gilead – referred to as Handmaids – are forced into sexual servitude to bear children for the elite. Though series six hasn't even dropped yet in the UK (it's set for release on May 3 on Amazon Prime), Rotten Tomatoes has already declared it a masterpiece. Clean Slate is a sitcom co-created by and starring Laverne Cox and George Wallace. Harry is an old-school car wash owner from Alabama. His laid-back life is interrupted when his estranged child comes back into his life after 17 years, now a determined, proud trans woman named Desiree. Anything starring Stephen Graham is worth a watch. In A Thousand Blows, he plays Sugar Goodson, a dangerous, veteran boxer in Victorian London's East End. When he comes across Hezekiah and Alec, two best friends from Jamaica, it turns into a fight for survival for the pair. Medical drama lovers, The Pitt should be on your watch list. Set in a fictional hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the show is centred around the personal and professional lives of its healthcare workers. Beware, the episodes can get pretty intense, especially in terms of the hospital employees revealing the emotional toll the job takes on them. The Last of Us has had the world in a chokehold since the release of season 2. For those yet to see the apocalyptic drama, it's based on the video game franchise developed by Naughty Dog. Set twenty years into a pandemic caused by a mass fungal infection – which causes people to transform into zombie-like creatures – a hardened survivor takes a 14-year-old girl under his wing to try and save humanity. This series is loosely based on Mo Amer's own life as a Palestinian refugee descendant living in Houston, Texas. Amer plays the titular character. Though the subject matter is serious, the show is scripted into a comedy-drama format. Mir and Raj are two pampered Pakistani-American brothers who suddenly find themselves thrust into the real world when their convenience store magnate father dies. Forced to take over the store, the siblings soon realise that their father wasn't only a local businessman, but the leader of a drug empire that they knew nothing about. Kaitlin Olson is epic in this crime drama series. World's away from her narcissistic It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia character, Dee, she plays single mum Morgan, who despite working as a cleaner in the police department, has an exceptional mind. When she rearranges some evidence during one of her shifts, she actually ends up solving an unsolvable crime. Seth Rogen and satire? Absolutely. Rogen plays Matt Remick, the newly appointed head of Continental Studios. While desperate for celebrity approval, Remick and his team find themselves balancing corporate demands and creative ambitions – all alongside trying to keep the studio and the movie industry relevant. The Wheel of Time is set in a fantasy universe where magic exists. The twist? Only some people can access it. During the series, a woman named Moiraine takes five young people on a quest in the hopes that one of them has the power to save their world. Hacks has been going since 2021, but according to Rotten Tomatoes, the latest series is one of the best yet. It follows a legendary – but struggling – comedian, played by Jean Smart, who hires a young, unemployed writer to help liven up her material. What ensues is a unique mentorship that blossoms into friendship. This animated action based on Marvel Comics is set in an alternate timeline in the multiverse, exploring Peter Parker's origin story and his early days using the Spider-Man persona. Another show based on books – this time by renowned thriller author Lee Child – Reacher follows the escapades of Jack Reacher, a former U.S. Army military police major. In season three, Reacher heads undercover with the DEA to investigate a suspicious rug-importing business, which is actually a front for a huge arms trafficking operation. Part of the Star Wars franchise and a prequel to the film Rogue One, Andor chronicles the formation of a Rebel Alliance in opposition to the Galactic Empire. One of the characters involved is Cassian Andor, a thief who joins – and becomes an essential member of – the Rebellion. Michelle Williams plays Molly Kochan, a woman who receives a diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. After learning she doesn't have long left, she leaves her husband to explore her sexual desires. Her best friend Nikki is by her side the entire time. Last month, the world stopped and listened as Stephen Graham dropped his triggering – but important – Adolescence. It tells the story of 13-year-old Jamie Miller, who is accused of murdering his female classmate. The series dives into the current issue of the radicalisation of young boys and men online, and shines a light on misogyny and incel culture. Toxic Town is based on the real-life Corby toxic waste case, a significant environmental scandal in the UK. When dozens of babies in the Northamptonshire town of Corby are born disabled, their mothers find themselves in a battle they didn't ask for, but on which they are determined to win. Their question – who was responsible? Millie-Jean Black is a Jamaican-born detective who is forced out of Scotland Yard. More Trending Upon returning to Kingston, she joins the Jamaican Police Force to work in the missing persons department. When she comes across one particular case, Millie finds her life turned upside down, and is forced to confront her past. This adult animated series chronicles the lives of two former high school lab partners. View More » When they stumble across a mushroom that can heal almost every ailment, they also unravel a conspiracy involving big pharma and the government to suppress public knowledge of the medicine. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'Russell Tovey plays me in Jean Charles de Menezes series – it was traumatising to watch' MORE: Amazon Prime Video's 'twisted' thriller sequel lands surprising Rotten Tomatoes score MORE: 35 unmissable movies joining Netflix in May including iconic crime thrillers
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Famous actors who began on Coronation Street from Stephen Graham to Joanna Lumley
From Joanna Lumley to Stephen Graham, Coronation Street has been the beginning for some of the UK's biggest actors/actresses. The ITV soap first aired back in 1960 and since then has gone on to become one of the biggest soaps on UK television. The show has featured hundreds of famous faces over the years, with some going on to become household names around the world. Some of the actors/actresses that appeared on Coronation Street before they were famous, according to Digital Spy, include: Stephen Graham is known for various TV and movie roles including Netflix's Adolescence, Peaky Blinders, Line of Duty and A Thousand Blows. He also featured in several of the Venom movies, alongside Tom Hardy. Graham appeared on Coronation Street back in 1999 as Lee Sanky, one of Steve McDonald's mates. Digital Spy said: "His appearance comprised only a handful of episodes, but he did get to enjoy a face-off with Steve's dad Jim, which must have left a lasting impression on him (so it must)." Joanna Lumley is best known her role on Absolutely Fabolous, alongside Jennifer Saunders, which ran from 1992 until 2012. She has also appeared recently in the Netflix series Fool Me Once, based on Harlan Coben's novel. Joanna Lumley (second from left) appeared on Coronation Street before Absolutely Fabulous. (Image: UKTV/Adam Lawrence/PA Wire) However, before all that, she appeared on Coronation Street for three weeks in 1973 as Elaine Perkins. Ralf Little is known for his role as DI Neville Parker in Death in Paradise, as well as several other TV series, including The Royle Family and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. He also featured in several episodes of Coronation Street in 1999. Little, according to Digital Spy, played the role of Mark Stranks, who was an assistant at Weatherfield Vale Nursing Home. Ralf Little is arguably most well-known for his role as DI Neville Parker on Death In Paradise. (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire) Michael Ball is better known as a singer and broadcaster, more than an actor. Ball mostly sang renditions of musical theatre songs and romantic ballads including including Empty Chairs At Empty Tables and Love Changes Everything. He is now also a presenter on BBC Radio 2. However, in 1985, he played a minor role on Coronation Street as tennis coach Malcolm Nuttall. Digital Spy added: "Malcolm was dating Michelle Robinson before she met Kevin Webster, and viewers were treated to a feisty altercation between the pair." Anna Friel appeared in Coronation Street back in 1991, where she played Belinda Johnson. Her character was the best friend of Vicky McDonald. Since then, she has gone on to make a name for herself in some major Hollywood movies, including Limitless and Land of the Lost, while also starring in TV shows like Deep Water. Joe Gilgun has appeared in the likes of Brassic and Emmerdale during his career, but when he was younger, he was on Corrie. Gilgun played Jamie Armstrong from 1994 to 1997, according to Digital Spy. The TV experts added: "You may remember that he was pretty much always in trouble for one reason or another, and that he took a shine to Jack Duckworth's pigeons." Sir Ian McKellen is arguably one of the biggest names in acting to have come out of the UK. Sir Ian has starred in several big-name movies, including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, the X-Men franchise and The Da Vinci Code, just to name a few. While has also made a name for himself on the stage, taking on major theatre roles in the likes of Macbeth, Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. Although he didn't make his big break on Corrie, he did walk the iconic cobbles for a brief period in May 2005, when he appeared on the ITV soap as con artist Mel Hutchwright. RECOMMENDED READING: Where is Coronation Street set and where is the ITV soap filmed? All to know Original Coronation Street cast member Philip Lowrie dies aged 88 Coronation Street star lands new role on rival soap just months after ITV exit Other big-names to have appeared on Coronation Street over the years, according to IMDb, include: Sean Connery Patrick Stewart Margaret Thatcher Ben Kingsley Holly Willoughby Lorraine Kelly Cliff Richard Cilla Black How many of these Coronation Street appearances do you remember? Let us know in our poll above or the comments below.
Express Tribune
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Master of misery
If you are yearning for feel-good television that spreads a warm glow of sunshine and contentment, you would be advised to give a wide berth to anything involving Stephen Graham. Connoisseurs of bleak horror and punch-to-the-gut dramas, on the other hand, have the greenlight to flick through this British actor's catalogue of work, be it in A Thousand Blows, Time, Peaky Blinders, or even that outlier, Matilda: The Musical. You are now in safe hands as you set forth on your journey of utter misery. Graham has neither the height nor the smooth jaguar-in-a-cello voice of, say, Benedict Cumberbatch. To any vertically challenged young men dismayed that they may never make it as a serious television actor, however, Graham is the exception that proves the rule. He is a dyslexic five-foot-five Scouser whose wife (actor Hannah Walters) acts as a gatekeeper for all scripts to ensure he will be able to take them on in the first place. In deference to those who balk at the feel-good and feast on a healthy dose of suffering, here are four roles where Graham's performances seek to consume you. 'Adolescence' Those who have sat through Graham's gut-wrenching performance in Netflix's Adolescence will have some inkling as to the depths of pain this man can portray. In Adolescence, Graham plays Eddie Miller, a father whose life is torn apart after his son Owen's cut-and-dried partaking in a horrific crime. Eddie is called on to accompany Owen's opening few hours into the police system. Like any shell-shocked father, Eddie goes through the motions and is pinned back in sheer helplessness as he watches Owen forced to confront the undeniable evidence that nobody else can be behind this violent murder. Through Graham's eyes, we are yanked into the world of a man tortured by regret, aching to turn the clock back and set things right, and splintering apart as he struggles to hold the fort at home for his wife and daughter. Whether Graham's Eddie is right or wrong in his insistence on keeping up a patriarchal facade is not what is up for debate today. What remains incontestably true is that in addition to just his voice, Graham's eyes, face, hands, and even his walk do the talking, and suck us into Eddie's vortex of pain. With his Scouse accent offering a breath of fresh air mixed with grit, Graham's take on Eddie seals the deal and helps mold Adolescence into the raw, can't-look-away experience it has become on social media. 'Time' Speaking of fathers with errant sons, Graham plays a prison warden Eric McNally in the BBC show Time – but with a twist. His (adult) son is housed in another prison. Unfortunately for them both, one of Eric's inmates gets wind of this interesting fact and begins issuing all sorts of threats to get his way. These threats entail this troublesome inmate circulating word amongst his criminal buddies in order to get Eric's son beaten up in his own prison – an action that Eric, predictably, does not take to kindly. We see his worry in a phone call from his son at home, and we witness what he is prepared to do to the man who dares to mess with his boy. Through Eric's eyes, we get a visceral view of life in the prison system, and the lengths that a father will go to protect his son, albeit stripped of the tired tropes frequently paraded on prison-oriented dramas. If you choose to watch Time, be warned: there is no reprieve, no moments of light, no escape until the credits roll. It is a harrowing ride without a single instance of weakness from an impeccable cast that also includes Sean Bean. Via Eric, Graham shows us just how much of a 'tough guy' he has the potential for, proving that conventional good looks have nothing to do with a stellar performance. 'Matilda: The Musical' Adolescence is not the only time Graham takes on the mantle of a flawed father; in Matilda the Musical, he morphs into the detestable Mr Wormwood, the gifted Matilda's utterly undeserving father. Where Eddie from Adolescence was flawed but ultimately understandable, this particular Mr Wormwood – as intended by the character's original creator, Roald Dahl – is flawed and as morally bankrupt as it is humanly possible. Shedding his natural Liverpudlian accent to take on the voice of a Cockney mechanic who swindles customers via dodgy cars, Graham struts about the set in the most ridiculous suits. With this being a musical, it would be inconceivable that he would be able to escape singing – and he doesn't. Nevertheless, for this man used to playing an onscreen (non-singing) tough guy, being in Matilda was non-negotiable. "My daughter told me if I didn't do it, she'd disown me," Graham told Time Out in 2022 before the film was released. It is slightly disconcerting to watch Graham take on the mantle of a man swaggering on the side of wrong with such reckless abandon. Unlike Danny DeVito's version of Mr Wormwood from the 1996 film, whom you could not help but nurse a small corner for in your heart, Graham's Mr Wormwood's cruelty to Matilda spikes new levels of hatred for this wretched, horrid father. Embodying the full spirit of the source novel, Matilda: The Musical is far darker than DeVito's take on Dahl's beloved classic, and Graham's seamless slipping into Mr Wormwood's skin makes this as uncomfortable watch as can be allowed. 'A Thousand Blows' As the title suggests but does not give away outright, roughly a thousand blows are exchanged in this Victorian twist on London boxers. Set in the east of London in the 1880s, the haunting opening pizzicato theme gives a tantalising hint of the roiling action that is to follow. A Thousand Blows, available on Disney+, is the brainchild of Steven Knight, who also delivered Peaky Blinders, so you already know that there is not going to be a great deal wrong with it, even if you personally avoid violence. Graham transforms his physique, and once again flawlessly assumes a Cockney accent as Henry "Sugar" Goodson, although unlike Mr Wormwood, here he is a raging force to be reckoned with as a terrifying pub-owner and local boxing champion. Expect blood. Expect gore. Expect no let-up. And if the vicious world of Victorian boxing is not your thing, know that A Thousand Blows is also about women aiming to smash the patriarchy (almost literally), as well as a pair of ambitious colonised victims of the British Empire coming into their own to take their due. Like every other project Graham picks up, expect zero comfort as you watch – but equally, take joy in watching a man completely owning a script as his world steals upon you on your sofa.
