British actor Stephen Graham is renowned for his gritty portrayals on TV and Hollywood working alongside Scorcese, De Niro and long time friend Leonardo DiCaprio.
But it’s his latest role to hit TV screens as the father of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a girl in new Netflix drama Adolescence that is arguably the Liverpool born actor’s greatest achievement yet.
And behind the celebrated star of Line of Duty, Time, Boardwalk Empire and Peaky Blinders is another formidable talent – his wife, actress and producer Hannah Walters, 48, who he regards as his rock, and who has been quietly making her own waves in the industry.
What few of those Netflix viewers or critics might know is that Graham’s wife Hannah has been instrumental in many of his projects.
She plays a pivotal role in their joint production company, appropriately named Matriarch Productions.
Their collaboration brought forth the multi-BAFTA-nominated film ‘Boiling Point’ in 2021, where Walters not only served as an executive producer but also appeared on screen. The film – like each episode of Adolescence — was remarkably filmed in one single take.
Their romance began not on a Hollywood set, but in the draughty drama halls of Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance, in Sidcup, Kent, where the couple first met while training as actors.
It was a connection that would only deepen over the years, particularly when they reunited professionally on This Is England in 2006. By then, their bond had strengthened, and just two years later, on June 6, 2008, they tied the knot.
Stephen Graham’s wife Hannah Walters plays a pivotal role in their joint production company, appropriately named Matriarch Productions
Their romance began not on a Hollywood set, but in the draughty drama halls of Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance, in Sidcup, Kent
What few of those Netflix viewers or critics might know is that Graham’s wife Hannah has been instrumental in many of his projects
Stephen Graham has recieved huge praise for his performance in Netflix drama Adolescence -which the actor also co-wrote
Speaking about their on-screen collaboration, Walters once remarked that she landed the role thanks to their ‘quite good chemistry,’ before joking: ‘It would have been shocking if we didn’t!’
Graham, for his part, has always been his wife’s biggest fan. Reflecting on her talent during an online Q&A about 2021 prison drama Time, he gushed: ‘I watched Hannah back in the day at drama school and always thought she was brilliant.’
Speaking on the Graham Norton show last month, Stephen explained how Hannah was also key to getting the production of their other current streaming success on Disney+, the Victorian London crime and boxing drama, A Thousand Blows, off the ground as she presented the story to Peaky Blinders creator, Steven Knight, who was fascinated by the idea.
The couple settled in Ibstock, Leicestershire, close to Hannah’s family, where they are well-liked in the community and live in a modest £450k four-bedroomed semi. The showbiz pair were chosen to cut the ribbon at a newly reopened doctors’ surgery in the village, following a revamp two years ago.
Speaking of his life in Ibstock, Stephen previously told Leicestershire Live: ‘I’m part of the furniture here. I love the sense of camaraderie in Ibstock, the community spirit. It’s a proper English village.
‘I like it that I can go into Smith’s, the local butchers – they’ve been here for years, you know – and people are all chatting and they say hello, how are ya and the treat me like they do everyone else.’
But in recent months, despite Graham’s career going from strength to strength, there have been incidents which led some to question if his relentless work toll could be taking its toll on him.
In December, during a non-league football match in Leicestershire, involving his nephew, Graham was involved in a very public heated altercation with referee David Kennedy.
The couple are a well-liked pair in their community and live in a modest £450k four-bedroomed semi
And behind the celebrated star of Line of Duty , Time, Boardwalk Empire and Peaky Blinders is another formidable talent. Pictured: In Line of Duty
Speaking on the Graham Norton show last month, Stephen explained how Hannah was also key to getting the production of their other current streaming success on Disney+, the Victorian London crime and boxing drama, A Thousand Blows (pictured)
Graham, for his part, has always been his wife’s biggest fan. Reflecting on her talent during an online Q&A about 2021 prison drama Time, he gushed: ‘I watched Hannah back in the day at drama school and always thought she was brilliant.’ Pictured: In Time
But in recent months, despite Graham’s career going from strength to strength, there have been incidents which led some to question if his relentless work toll could be taking its toll on him. Pictured: In Boardwalk Empire
All smiles: Reflecting on his wife’s talent during an online Q&A about 2021 prison drama Time, Graham gushed: ‘I watched Hannah back in the day at drama school and always thought she was brilliant’
The couple first met while training as actors at the Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performanc in Sidcup in Kent
Witnesses reported that the spectator actor directed a series of expletives towards the referee, including calling him a ‘Fat t**t’ and a ‘f***ing Teletubby.’.
The situation escalated to the point where the match was delayed for eight minutes, as the referee refused to continue until Graham left the touchline.
Two months on, the Line of Duty star’s conduct resulted in Barrow Town FC being hit with seven penalty points and a £190 fine by the Football Association after the club admitted failing to control a spectator.
A source told the Sun: ‘Graham’s behaviour was absolutely shameless. The club’s now been punished for his actions, which isn’t fair on players or fans.
‘Nobody can act like that, even A-list celebrities. He’s let a lot of people down.’
The Saturday afternoon game on December 14 was between Barrow Town FC’s first team and Heather St John’s reserve squad near the star’s home, but wasn’t an isolated incident.
Last week, he was accused of reducing a female go-kart worker to tears in another furious outburst.
The alleged incident saw him kick off a day after the airing of A Thousand Blows, in which he plays a hardman boxer.
Stephen Graham and Hannah Walters attending the Blitz World Premiere in 2024
Stephen Graham alongside 15-year-old co-star Owen Cooper in Adolescence
Stephen Graham, left, and Hannah Walters pose for photographers upon arrival at the special screening for Adolescence in London
Hannah was key to getting the production of their Disney+ drama, A Thousand Blows off the ground
The actor has been the subject of a number of controversies in recent months
He was watching his 18-year-old son and pals when he was accused of screaming at a marshal who ordered drivers off the track over safety concerns.
She was so shaken up that bosses logged an incident report last month at the TeamSport Go Karting ring in Leicester.
A source told the Sun: ‘Stephen should have enjoyed a nice day watching his son and his mates karting.
‘But when they were told to get off the track, he started shouting at the young staff member.’
When a senior female worker tried to calm the situation, witnesses say he shouted at her, too.’
A spokeswoman for the actor told the paper: ‘We deny his party was asked to leave the track or that Stephen made anyone cry.
‘Instead his party and all other parties involved were refunded as staff had let too many on and it became dangerous.
‘Stephen happily took photos with the public and staff.’
The showbiz pair were chosen to cut the ribbon at a newly reopened doctors’ surgery in the village, following a revamp two years ago. Pictured: Left, in 2018 and right, in 2012
Stephen Graham and Hannah Walters attend Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical World Premiere at the Opening Night Gala in 2022
Stephen Graham alongside legendary Hollywood director Martin Scorsese for The Irishman closing night party
Husband and wife Stephen and Hannah both starred in the ITV drama Time in 2021
Graham has spoken candidly in the past about his struggles with mental health, revealing that in his early twenties, he battled ‘really bad depression’ and once attempted to take his own life. ‘Thankfully, the rope snapped and I’m here today,’ he told The Sunday Times in 2019.
Graham also discussed how the intense method acting techniques he practised during drama school affected him deeply, leading to what he described as an ‘induced psychosis.’
He explained: ‘Method acting is a wonderful practice, and I threw everything at it. I had a couple of incidents and then I felt like I couldn’t handle it anymore.#
He admitted ‘losing himself’ when he played his breakout role as racist skinhead Combo in Shane Meadow’s 2006 film This is England.
He said he used alcohol to cope with the pressure of the role, telling BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs: ‘It was life-changing. I lost myself quite a bit within that character.’
He said he would often come home and cry my eyes out’ after filming intense scenes for the movie.
He said: ‘For me, that was where I really learned to dive into a character.’
Looking back on his time on the show, Graham said the script stirred painful memories of the racist abuse he endured in his youth.
The actor, whose grandfather was from Jamaica, recalled: ‘I’m mixed race. As a kid, I was called horrible words that I don’t even want to say, and little monkey boy.’
