Over the last three decades, Stephen Graham made a name for himself in Hollywood thanks to appearing in films like Snatch, Gangs of New York, and even the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Just a sample of his acting jobs in Hollywood, the actor recently landed the role as the father of Bruce Springsteen in a new biopic. Featuring both Graham and Jeremy Allen White, who plays Springsteen, the film centered around the singer recording his hit album Nebraska. And while embracing the role, Graham revealed the beautiful message he received from Springsteen himself.
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While Allen focused on transforming into Springsteen, Graham had a different challenge when playing Douglas “Dutch” Springsteen. Wanting to capture not just his voice but mannerisms, the actor remembered the validation he received when trying to get to the airport.
Speaking with Edith Bowman on Soundtracking, the actor said, “I’m racing to get to the airport, and I got this text, and it was so beautiful. It just said: ‘Better than any award that I could ever receive in my life’. He’s an icon. He’s a hero.”
Bruce Springsteen Saw His Father One Last Time Thanks To Stephen Graham
The text apparently went far beyond just praise as Springsteen thanked Graham for letting him see his father one more time. “He’s a working-class hero. He’s an icon to thousands, to millions. And his text just said, ‘Thank you so much. You know, my father passed away a while ago and I felt like I saw him today and thank you for giving me that memory.’”
Getting such a heartfelt text from The Boss, Graham couldn’t control his emotions. “I was crying reading the text, do you know what I mean? Oh mate, it was beautiful. You couldn’t ask for anything more, you know, to share that with someone was gorgeous. He’s a lovely man.”
As for the biopic titled Deliver Me From Nowhere, the film was directed by Scott Cooper. Known for films like Crazy Heart, Out of the Furnace, and The Pale Blue Eye, the filmmaker jumped at the chance to bring the 2023 book written by Warren Zanes to the silver screen. Still under production, the film is expected to hit theaters in 2025.
(Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images)
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