Stephen Graham
Stephen Graham
Stephen Grahamis an English film and television actor who is best known for his roles as Tommy in the film Snatch, Andrew "Combo" Gascoigne in This Is Englandas well as its television sequels, This Is England '86, This Is England '88and This Is England '90, Danny Ferguson in Occupation, Billy Bremner in The Damned United, notorious bank robber Baby Face Nelson in Public Enemies, Scrum in the Pirates of the Caribbean films and a crooked police detective in the acclaimed...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth3 August 1973
I've become very close with Tom Hardy. I love Tom to bits.
When I was 27, I didn't have a clue what was going on! At that age, to have that much power and to have that much ambition is something.
I work to live, not live to work, so my head's at home, not in some showbiz life.
Mum and Dad always wanted me to do whatever I was happy doing. I nearly went to art college at 16, but decided to do a BTEC in performing arts.
I'm a mixed race lad from Liverpool. I get to play a lot of hard characters, and some people perceive that's what I'm like, but it's great for me 'cos they're always the most interesting characters.
I did 'Gangs of New York' with Martin Scorsese, and they used to call me 'Little Joe Pesci' on the set.
There are always certain things that you tap into, your own personal experiences, and I try to base my characters on someone I know or someone I've seen.
There has to be something that I like about a character for me to be able to play him.
That's probably going to be a good scenario, another good feeling. I played against him when I was in Houston and kind of took him out. I'm looking to take him out again.
There are moments when you're stepping out of a really nice car on to a red carpet, and you feel inside like, 'This is quite nice,' but I'm never whisked off my feet.
I wouldn't rule out L.A. life, but I love England. I have a lovely house and nice garden, I walk my kids to school - family is most important to me.
I was 10, and I played Jim Hawkins in 'Treasure Island' at school, and this great Liverpudlian actor called Andrew Schofield - he was Johnny Rotten in 'Sid And Nancy' - came to watch it, and he had a word with my mum and dad afterwards and told them I should have a go at the Everyman youth theatre. I've never looked back.
I adore my job. I think I'm one of the luckiest people out there. I've worked hard, but I get to mess about every day - that's how I see it.
People in New York are surprised when I open my mouth.