Stephen Graham will be awarded the honorary Richard Harris award at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards.
The actor will receive the award at the ceremony on Sunday, December 3. The award, which has been given since 2003 at the annual ceremony, is given in the name of UK actor Harris, recognising ‘an outstanding contribution by an actor to British film.
Liverpudlian Graham received a Bifa nomination in 2007 for his breakthrough role as neo-Nazi Andrew ‘Combo’ Gascoigne in Shane Meadows’ This Is England; Graham went on to reprise the role in three This Is England TV series.
His UK feature credits include The Damned United as footballer Billy Bremner; Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; and as chef Andy in Philip Barantini’s 2021 restaurant drama Boiling Point, with Graham receiving a further Bifa nomination for that role, and reprising it for the BBC series this year.
Graham has also worked extensively in the US, for Martin Scorsese in Gangs Of New York and The Irishman, on blockbuster franchises including Pirates Of The Caribbean and Venom, and in HBO crime series Boardwalk Empire as Al Capone.
In 2020 he co-founded Matriarch Productions with his wife and fellow actor Hannah Walters, with the aim of providing a platform to champion diversity and inclusivity with the entertainment industry. His support for new talent has included recommending fellow Liverpudlian Jodie Comer to his agent; Graham went on to work with Comer in 2021 Channel 4 TV drama Help.
Last week Graham launched Grass Routes, an annual competition for working class TV writers, alongside Studiocanal-backed production company Birdie Pictures.
“To be recognised for this year’s Richard Harris award alongside the immense talent of the previous recipients, is truly humbling and overwhelming,” said Graham.
“Throughout his long and successful film career both at home and abroad, Stephen always brings an edge to his characters, something that our father would have appreciated very much,” read a statement from Damian, Jared and Jamie Harris, sons of Richard Harris.
The 2023 Bifa nominations were announced earlier this month, with romantic comedy Rye Lane leading the way with 16 nominations. Searchlight Pictures’ All Of Us Strangers won three of the 10 craft awards handed out at the start of this week.
No comments yet