Stephen Graham receives top honor at the British Independent Film Awards – The Hollywood Reporter

Stephen Graham

Courtesy of @lee_malone_photography

Stephen Graham, one of the most popular actors on UK television who regularly appears in both major studio titles and small independent films, is set to receive the top honor at this year’s British Independent Film Awards.

The Richard Harris Award, named after the late star, recognizes an actor’s outstanding contribution to British film, and sees Graham join a list of fellow honorees that includes the likes of Judi Dench, Daniel Day-Lewis, Emma Thompson, Vanessa Redgrave and Reese. Ahmed.

The actor, a six-time BAFTA TV nominee, recently received his first BAFTA film nomination for his lead role in the 2022 one-shot kitchen drama Boiling Point, which was also the first project from Graham’s Matriarch Productions, which he created with his company. Wife and fellow actress Hannah Walters with the goal of providing opportunities for underrepresented talent. The film has since been made into a BBC miniseries, in which Graham also stars.

Known as one of the most versatile actors working today and someone capable of bringing emotional depth to even the toughest characters, Graham first made a name for himself in Guy Ritchie’s 2000 gangster thriller. to kidnapHe plays Tommy, Jason Statham’s partner in crime. He will soon be heading to Hollywood for a Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York (2002), working again with Icon Play Empire Corridor (He plays Al Capone) and Irish Opposite Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. His status was cemented on home turf thanks to his performance as a troubled neo-Nazi in Shane Meadow’s groundbreaking 2007 film. This is England(for which he received his first BIFA nominations) and its subsequent television miniseries.

While other film roles will come, including Tinker Tailor Soldier SpyMichael Mann Enemies of the people the Pirates of the CaribbeanFranchise and Rocket man It was the small screen where Graham’s leading credentials were forged, with prominent roles in the Jack Thorne-penned film HelpsAlong with Jodie Comer, Jimmy McGovern’s three-part prison drama timean ITV drama Little blue boypastures VirtuesAnd Line of duty.

Most notable is success boiling point Graham’s presence in the world of cinema has expanded over the past few years. Other recent appearances include Marvel’s Venom: Let there be carnage(2021), while he had a scene-stealing role in the 2022 movie Smash Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical.

Graham can currently be seen starring in the Netflix film Universal Corpses, an adaptation of C. Spencer’s graphic novel that simulates mind and time. He is set to lead opposite Daisy Ridley in Disney Young woman and the seachronicling the daring journey of the first woman to swim across the English Channel in 1926, will also be seen alongside Saoirse Ronan in Steve McQueen’s World War II drama set in London. Raid . His company Matriarch Productions is currently runningA thousand strokeswith Disney+, a 12-part series set in the fraught world of illegal boxing in 1880s Victorian London, in which Stephen will also star.

He was awarded an OBE for services to drama in 2023.

“To receive this year’s Richard Harris Award alongside the enormous talent of previous recipients is truly remarkable. I would like to extend a huge thank you to BIFA and the Harris family for this recognition,” said Graham.

Damian, Jared and Jamie Harris, who were presented with the award in memory of his father, said: “Throughout his long and successful film career both at home and abroad, Stephen always brought an edge to his characters, something our father would have greatly appreciated.” . “He is an independent British national treasure and we are delighted to present him with the Richard Harris Award this year.”

The 26th annual British Independent Film Awards will be held on December 3 at Old Billingsgate in London.