Stephen Graham has been lauded for his role in the Netflix drama Adolescence, in which he plays the dad of a boy accused of murdering a classmate, and he got emotional talking about his own father

Cooper, who is 15, is being tipped for Bafta victory for his debut acting performance as Jamie Miller, a child accused of murder, in the sleeper Netflix hit, which has become the most-streamed title in both the UK and the US within its first week of release.

Stephen Graham’s rise to success has been anything but easy. From childhood dreams inspired by Robert De Niro to overcoming personal struggles and finding love, here’s an inside look at his life.