Stephen Graham set to be honoured at British Independent Film Awards
Stephen Graham is set to be honoured at the British Independant Film Awards with a special prize to mark four decades of acclaimed roles.
The actor, 50, will receive the Richard Harris Award, which recognises an outstanding contribution by an actor to British film at the ceremony on December 3.
Stephen’s early credits include Martin Scorsese’s Gangs Of New York but his breakout role came in 2006 when he starred in This Is England.
This Is England follows the lives of English skinheads in 1983. Stephen portrayed Andrew ‘Combo’ Gascoigne, a first-wave skinhead.
Stephen reprised his role as Combo in the miniseries This Is England ’86 (2010), ’88 (2011), and ’90 (2015).
Well-deserved: Stephen Graham is set to be honoured at the British Independant Film Awards with a special prize to mark four decades of acclaimed roles
Skinhead: Stephen’s early credits include Martin Scorsese’s Gangs Of New York but his breakout role came in 2006 when he starred in This Is England
It was on the set of This Is England ’86 that he met his wife Hannah Walters whom he married in 2008 and has children Grace and Alfie with.
More recently, Stephen appeared in the final series of Peaky Blinders and showed off his singing voice in 2022’s Matilda The Musical as Mr. Wormwood, Matilda’s father.
He had the starring role in 2023’s British crime/science fiction limited series Bodies which interweaves four different time periods to try to solve several murders.
Previous recipients of The Richard Harris Award include Dame Judi Dench, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Daniel Day-Lewis.
Explaining why they have honoured Stephen with the award, The British Independent Film Awards said: ‘In an acclaimed career that has seen him highly sought after across both film and television, Stephen Graham has achieved almost legendary status as a hugely talented and versatile performer with an otherworldly ability for kingslot96 bringing vulnerability and emotional depth to even the toughest characters.
‘His skill and range as an actor can be seen in the variety of roles he has played throughout his career, utterly convincing as shockingly violent yet emotionally raw tough guys, unhinged gangsters, damaged men consumed by inner turmoil, but equally believable in hilarious turns as a scurvy riddled pirate or adding a musical string to his bow as frontrunner for world’s worst parent in 2022 smash Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical.
‘Graham is also known for supporting new talent, famously recommending a young Jodie Comer to his agent and has spoken of the difficulties working-class actors face in breaking through.
A thankful Graham has said: ‘To be recognised for this year’s Richard Harris award alongside the immense talent of the previous recipients, is truly humbling and overwhelming. I’d like to give a heartfelt thanks to BIFA and the Harris family for this acknowledgement.’
Recent roles: More recently, Stephen appeared in the final series of Peaky Blinders (pictured in costume in 2022) and in Matilda The Musical as Mr. Wormwood, Matilda’s father
Richard Harris was an Irish actor and a Grammy Award-winning singer, best known for portraying Professor Albus Dumbledore until his death.
Damian, Jared, and Jamie Harris, Richard’s sons, said: ‘Throughout his long and successful film career both at home and abroad, Stephen always brings an edge to his characters, something that our father would have appreciated very much.
‘He is a British independent national treasure and we’re delighted to present him with the Richard Harris Award this year.”
The 26th British Independent Film Awards take place on Sunday 3 December at Old Billingsgate and a full list of this year’s nominations and 2023 Craft winners is here.
British Independent Film AwardsJudi Dench
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