BBC This City is Ours star reveals ‘inspirational’ Stephen Graham’s sweet gesture
James Nelson-Joyce has expressed his admiration for Stephen Graham as he discusses his latest role in the BBC drama This City Is Ours.
The actor, who hails from Orrell Park in Liverpool, plays Michael Kavanagh, a character deeply entrenched in organised crime, alongside his partner Ronnie Phelan, played by Sean Bean.
The narrative delves into the power struggle that ensues when Ronnie’s son Jamie, portrayed by Jack McMullen, decides to take over their criminal empire, leaving Michael out in the cold.
Complications arise when Michael encounters Diana (Hannah Onslow), and together they start to dream of a life free from crime. But their plans are jeopardised when a cocaine shipment from Colombia disappears, exposing vulnerabilities and signalling that their reign is under threat.
In a chat with the BBC, James paid homage to fellow Liverpudlians who have inspired him, including footballer Jamie Carragher and actor Stephen Graham, reports the Liverpool Echo.
He declared: “It’s the best city in the world, and it is home”, reflecting on his aspirations to captain Liverpool FC like his hero Carragher.
He continued: “And there are actors like Stephen Graham, who is one of those people I look up to in life. He is all about encouragement.”
Both Stephen and James appeared in the 2017 true-crime drama Little Boy Blue, which recounted the heart-wrenching murder of 11 year old Rhys Jones in Liverpool.
James warmly recalled his experiences with his former co-star, saying: “Stephen likes to pass on advice. He is a massive inspiration and I have been fortunate to work with him. He told me once that he’s always just a phone call away.”
He also expressed hope for audience support for his latest work: “I know he’ll watch and support This City is Ours, and I look forward to hearing what he thinks about it. I want viewers to join us from episode one and stay with us. It will be worth the ride.”
On the flip side, Stephen, hailing from Kirkby at 51, has expressed amazement over the success of ‘Adolescence’ on Netflix.
Stephen, an award-winning actor who also teamed up with Jack Thorne to pen the thrilling series, probes the disturbing dilemma: “What would you do if your teenage son was accused of murder?”.
The show has skyrocketed in popularity worldwide, smashing Netflix records by racking up 24.3 million views globally within the initial four days following its release, and later soaring to an astonishing 66.3 million views after two weeks.
All episodes of The City is Ours are available on BBC iPlayer, with the series airing every Sunday at 9pm BBC One
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