If there’s two scousers known for being boss actors, it has to be Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham. I mean, let’s forget Liverpool, they’re arguably two of the top British actors of recent times.
And it turns out that Graham was the one who actually helped the Killing Eve star get her big break.
After the pair filmed a rather dark scene together over a decade ago, the Boiling Point star made an extraordinary gesture for the then-teen.
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You might remember Comer’s BAFTA speech back in 2019 when she picked up the Leading Actress award for her role as the famous assassin, Villanelle.
And as well as thanking the BBC, the show’s creators and cast and her family, she also paid tribute to Graham.
Comer said: “I want to take this moment to thank Stephen Graham. Stephen, if I didn't owe you a pint before, I definitely do now.
“Thank you for the generosity that you showed me all them years ago and for introducing me to Jane.”
For those wondering who the mysterious ‘Jane’ is, it’s Graham’s long time agent, Jane Epstein, who Comer went on to thank: “You have encouraged and supported me ever since, and I cannot thank you enough.”
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Turns out Graham went on to link the pair up after they worked on 2012’s Good Cop together.
The BBC show saw Comer playing a waitress who was sexually assaulted by Graham’s criminal character.
The Guardian spoke to Epstein, who recalled the now 50-year-old ringing her about the young actor.
“Stephen called me from the set of a series he was doing back in 2012 called Good Cop and passionately described a scene he had just shot with a young actress who he thought was one of the most exciting talents he had worked with to date,” the agent said.
“He was so impressed by her and asked if I would meet her. I did, and he was right.”
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She went on to add: “You just get a gut feeling when you meet someone that you know you want to work with. While Jodie was very young [Comer was in her late teens] it was nevertheless obvious to me that she had the energy and spirit that would translate on to the screen.
“That, coupled with the fact that I trusted Stephen’s judgment, made my decision to offer representation to Jodie an easy one.”
Comer of course went on to land roles in the likes of My Mad Fat Diary, Doctor Foster and Thirteen, before she was eventually cast in Killing Eve.
Obviously a lot of credit should be given to Comer’s incredible acting, but maybe she really did owe Graham a pint as he helped pave her way.
Featured Image Credit: BBCTopics: Stephen Graham, Jodie Comer, Celebrity, TV and Film