Netflix star Stephen Graham breaks down in tears live on radio over Hollywood icon

Stephen Graham broke down in tears during an incredibly moving interview on Capital Breakfast this morning. The acclaimed actor, who has recently been lauded for his role in the Netflix hit Adolescence, shared a touching detail from his path to fame. The star is currently playing Eddie Miller in the Netflix sensation, which sees Eddie's family life thrown into chaos when his teenage son is accused of a brutal murder.

Looking back over his career, Scouser Stephen Graham, 51, got tearful as he dicusssed the undying support he received from his parents. A poignant highlight for Stephen was revealing to his father that he would be working alongside film legend Robert De Niro. Recounting the unforgettable moment to the radio hosts, Stephen reminisced: "I went 'Dad, you'll never guess who, I'm going to be working with!' and he's like, 'That's amazing son!'" The conversation soon turned emotional, as a choked-up Stephen confessed: "And I went 'yeah' oh...I've gone!"

His voice cracked and he then shed some tears while live on air. "You know, he proper backed me. And me mum. They supported me throughout everything. Do you know what I mean? All the struggles you go through and everything. Me contact lens has fallen out! And he was, yeah, you can imagine it was unbelievable," he said through sobs.

When probed by Sian about whether his dad initially believed his incredible news, Stephen said that his father did indeed, noting that he was "so proud". In response to Jordan North saying: "Oh we didn't want to make you cry today!" Stephen replied: "That's alright, you got me contact lens out. Sorry!" His heartfelt account left listeners reaching for tissues across the nation, according to the Mirror.

Stephen revealed that De Niro was a significant influence on him, with posters of Taxi Driver adorning his walls as a child. He credited his father's faith in him for his success, stating: "Sometimes all it takes is one person doesn't it. To help you achieve your goal, or to believe in the dream you have. It takes that one person and my dad was that person. And my mum."

Stephen shared the screen with De Niro in Martin Scorsese's critically acclaimed film, The Irishman. Last week, the Liverpudlian paid a heartfelt tribute to the Hollywood legend during their joint appearance on The One Show. The dad-of-two also recounted a time in his teens when his father asked him if he was serious about pursuing acting. After he confirmed his intentions, Stephen's father rented three films from the local video store - The Godfather, Taxi Driver and The Deer Hunter.

Stephen continued: "Then we went home and we watched these three films and we watched them all over the weekend. And, you know, it was just... You were the beginning of my whole love of favourite films, really." He then addressed the De Niro directly, saying: "I don't think I ever told you that. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Stephen's impressive career trajectory seems to be mirrored in his financial success. Reports suggest that he amassed a staggering £5million between March 2023 and March 2024. His production company, Gralf Ltd, reportedly has cash reserves of £3million, as per Companies House records. While the figures for his latest year are yet to be revealed, Stephen is still enjoying triumphs on screen. One of his recent successful collaborations was with Disney+ series A Thousand Blows, directed by Top Boy star Ashley Walters.