Stephen Graham Breaks Down Emotional On-Set Surprise That Made Him Cry Real for Adolescence

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The show generated a lot of buzz this year, with its plot revolving around the family and peers of a student accused of murdering a female classmate. It was executed so skillfully that it ignited numerous discussions.

A significant factor behind the show’s popularity lies in the fact that one of its creators, who portrayed Eddie, the challenging father of Jamie, the teenage murderer, delivered a particularly moving scene towards the end. In this scene, he tucked his son’s teddy bear into bed and wept sincerely, striking a chord with many viewers. In reality, Graham was genuinely shedding tears during that moment.

To achieve maximum emotional impact for Graham, director Philip Barantini and Graham’s actress wife Hannah Walters strategically placed family photos around the set, ensuring they were only visible to Graham. Attached to these pictures were heartfelt messages from his children, such as “We love you, Dad” and “We’re so proud of you.” As expected, this touching gesture brought tears to his eyes.

Upon unlocking the door, Graham recollected noticing the camera’s trajectory. He then turned, catching sight of his children in the closet, swiftly glanced at the object nearby, and pretended to be exploring the room. Inside, he was whispering, “Don’t cry, don’t cry, Eddie won’t cry.” Suddenly, his feelings burst out. It turned out that Eddie did end up crying, making for a heart-wrenchingly sad final scene.

Graham Pictured His Son In Place Of Jamie

In the intense scene of strip-searching Jamie in “Adolescence,” Graham’s portrayal wasn’t solely influenced by the final scene. Instead, he visualized his own son, Alfie, standing in for Jamie, which significantly impacted his acting performance.

Speaking about Owen Cooper’s performance as Jamie, Graham shared, “Owen would hide behind a curtain during our scenes. While I was there, I was focusing on the curtain and listening to his lines, but in my mind’s eye, I saw my own character, Alfie. Just talking about it almost brings tears to my eyes.” He added, “Owen provided me with that, helping me get through the entire production.

Unlike Eddie, Graham shares a strong bond with his children, which significantly influenced his character portrayal. Reflecting on his own experiences, he recalled an instance from his son’s adolescence when he kissed his son on the cheek in front of friends. “I believe Alfie was around 14 at that time. His friend commented, ‘My dad has never done that to me. He’s never hugged me or told me he loves me.’ I remember being struck by it and wanted to incorporate that sentiment into Eddie.” Notably, this approach resonated wonderfully, and the show Adolescence left a lasting impact on TV.

Adolescence is streaming on Netflix.

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2025-05-23 00:00