Adolescence Star Stephen Graham Once Considered Adopting Young Co-Star During His Toughest Time; DEETS

Netflix's Adolescence actor, Stephen Graham, once offered to adopt his young co-star in 2006. Read on to know the details.

Written by Ipshita Chakraborty , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 19, 2025 | 07:43 PM GMT | 1.5K

Youtube / Netflix

Stephen Graham is receiving universal acclaim for his performance in the new Netflix blockbuster Adolescence, but it's not just his on-screen work that is generating even more admiration. Hearts are melting at Graham's off-screen generosity.

Graham, who is a well-known advocate for new talent, had 15-year-old Owen Cooper play the lead in the show — a move that lifted the newcomer into overnight fame. Cooper's gripping performance as teenage murder suspect Jamie Miller has made waves, earning him critical acclaim and high praise.

According to Graham, the real feather in the cap of the production is Cooper's raw, emotional performance. This is not the first time Graham has nurtured young talent. In 2006, he developed a life-altering bond with This is England co-star Thomas Turgoose.

Turgoose was only 13 years old when he played Shaun-a lonely boy finding a sense of belonging amongst a group of much older skinheads, led by Graham's character Combo.

Thomas experienced tremendous tragedy during this period when his mother died of cancer. So deeply did Graham and director Shane Meadows care for him that they discussed adopting him privately if the living arrangement wasn't resolved quickly.

The actor told The Independent, "I was made a promise by Stephen Graham and Vicky [McClure] that when This Is England was released, it wasn't just gonna be 'That's it.' They promised to stick by me and support me."

Turgoose revealed in an episode of the Private Parts podcast in 2021, "I spent a lot of time with Shane Meadows and Stephen Graham. They agreed between them that if they didn't get on with my dad, or if they didn't see my dad fit to bring me up, they were gonna adopt me."

Luckily, Turgoose and his father managed to build a good relationship, and Graham remained a friend and supporter, offering his help throughout Turgoose's life beyond filming. He added, "But they met my dad. And my dad is a proper bloke! He's worked his arse off his whole life, and he's respectable. Me and my dad are best friends now, whereas, when I moved in with him, I didn't know him."

Meanwhile, Stephen Graham described Cooper's performance as the biggest achievement of the Netflix hit. He has shown the same generosity to Cooper, who is now on his way to a phenomenal career. Since his breakthrough performance in Adolescence, Cooper has already landed his next big role — a youthful Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell's forthcoming Wuthering Heights alongside Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.