Stephen Graham has opened up about the inspiration behind Netflix's gripping new crime drama, Adolescence, which follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller (played by Owen Cooper), who is accused of murdering a teenage girl in his class.
The Boiling Point star, who plays Jamie's father Eddie, spoke to at BAFTA Screening Q&A, where Stephen was speaking to an audience about the writing process at a Q&A hosted by Netflix on Wednesday night.
The intense plot isn't about just one story. ''I read an article in the paper about a young boy stabbing a young girl, and it just made me feel a bit cold," explained the actor.
© Netflix''And then about three or four months later, there was a piece on the news, and it was a young boy, again, who stabbed a young girl. And they are young boys. They're not men.''
The father-of-two continued: ''It really hurt my heart for many different reasons, but predominantly as a father, but also like, where are we in society for this to happen?''
© NetflixTalking about modern parenting challenges, Stephen said: ''Today we don't know what our children could do in their bedrooms, the possibility of the internet.''
What is Adolescence about?
© NetflixThe harrowing plot has an important core message about how children are being influenced by the internet or on the playground.
As Stephen said at the Q&A, one of the aims isn’t to point figures at just Jamie but to hold everyone accountable in his life: “It takes a village to raise a child and we didn't want to point the blame at anyone specifically or in particular. So we wanted to look at it and say, we're all accountable in many ways, be that parents, teachers, government, society, community.”
© NetflixThe story covers complex themes including teen masculinity and references the dangers of the TikTok world. When co-writer Jack Thorne was researching he told the audience at the screening: "My algorithm got really, really dark."
Who else is in the cast?
© NetflixThe series was co-written by Stephen Graham (Line of Duty and Peaky Blinders) and Jack Thorne, best known for his work on This is England and Am I Being Unreasonable?
10 most successful Netflix series
© LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX1. Wednesday: Season 1 – 252,100,000 (views worldwide)
Young Wednesday Adams (Jenna Ortega) is sent to Nevermore Academy, a school for Outcasts where she develops her psychic abilities, investigates mysterious deaths in nearby towns, and tries to uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of her parents.
2. Stranger Things Season 4 – 140,700,000
Eight months after the Starcourt Mall showdown, trouble awaits the Hawkins Gang as they encounter villainous Vecna, who has the power to take over the world.
3. DAHMER: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story – 115,600,000
Evan Peters delivers a chilling portrayal of America's most notorious serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer as the series explores the horrifying story of his life.
4. Bridgerton: Season 1 – 113,300,000
The first season of Bridgerton follows young Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) as she makes her debut in the London Regency marriage market, hoping for true love, while charming Simon Bassett (Regé-Jean Page) catches her eye.
5. The Queen's Gambit: Limited Series – 112,800,000
Based on the 1983 novel, The Queen's Gambit tells the extraordinary life of orphan Elizabeth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) as she strives to become the world's most elite chess player.
6. Bridgerton: Season 3 – 106,000,000
The third season of Bridgerton focuses on Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), who enters Mayfair Society with the help of her long-time unrequited lover, Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), to find someone to marry.
7. The Night Agent: Season 1 – 98,200,000
FBI agent Peter Sutherland works in the basement of the White House – manning a phone that never rings – until one night, he receives a distress call and is tasked with protecting cybersecurity expert Rose.
8. Fool Me Once: Limited Series – 98,200,000
Trying to come to terms with the murder of her husband, Maya (Michelle Keegan) installs a nanny cam to keep an eye on her daughter. But when she spots her husband in the house, whom she thought was dead, her world is turned upside down.
9. Stranger Things 3 – 94,800,000
Set in the summer of 1985, a lot is happening in Hawkins. The Mind Flayer attempts to take over the town through Starcourt Mall, teenage relationships blossom, and a secret Russian operation wants to breach the Upside Down.
10. Bridgerton: Season 2 – 93,800,000
In the second season of Bridgerton, the enemies-to-lovers romance between Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate (Simone Ashley) unfolds, filled with scandal and undeniable chemistry during the marriage season.
The stellar cast also features Ashley Walters (Top Boy), Erin Doherty (The Crown), Christine Tremarco (The Leaving of Liverpool), and Faye Marsay (Game of Thrones.)
Not to mention, up-and-coming actor Owen Cooper takes on the harrowing role of Jack Miller in his screen debut.
How many episodes?
© NetflixThere are four episodes and each part was filmed in one singular take. Fun fact: they filmed episode one ten times and used the second take for the final edit - proving it is TV perfection.
Adolescence drops today on Netflix, Thursday 13th March.
