Stephen Graham has firmly cemented his position among the greats of British film and television actors. Most recently, he credited his beloved wife Hannah Walters for being his rock throughout their 18-year marriage. While many may assume Hannah is the driving force behind the scenes, she is an acclaimed actress in her own right. Over the years, Hannah and Stephen, 52, have starred together in 13 different projects.
How They Met
The Adolescence star first met Hannah while they were students at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in London, and their relationship grew stronger. The couple married in 2008.
Hannah's Acting Career
Hannah has starred in numerous high-profile film and TV projects, including This Is England, which also featured her husband. She played Trudy in This Is England '86, This Is England '88, and This Is England '90. In 2021, she appeared in the Jimmy McGovern drama Time, playing Sonia McNally, wife of Stephen's character Eric McNally. Despite the script being sent to Stephen, Hannah auditioned on her own merit, loving the gritty nature of her character. Two years later, she landed the role of Matron Beth Relp in the ITV drama Malpractice. She described the series as a medical thriller about humanity and chaos. Last year, she served as executive producer and starred in A Thousand Blows, playing Eliza, a member of the all-female Forty Elephants gang in London.
Near Breakup and Marriage
Their romance nearly ended abruptly when Hannah considered moving to Spain. On Desert Island Discs, Stephen recalled: "I said 'please don't go to Spain'. She asked 'why?' and I said 'Well, I love you.' She said she'd been waiting five years for me to say that. The next day we moved in together, and we've been together ever since."
Secret to Their Relationship
Speaking about their long-standing relationship, Stephen told Leicestershire Live in 2018: "We were bezzie mates. Which is the best way, isn't it? After a while, we just thought: this is daft, do you know what I mean? We like each other, we should get together." He also credited Hannah for selecting his roles due to his dyslexia. At a BAFTA session panel, he admitted: "My missus actually reads the script and says whether or not I'm doing it. She's made some good choices."
Family Life
The couple share two children, Grace and Alfie. In an interview with The Times, Stephen said: "We have ups and downs, of course. Luckily, though, the relationship we both have with our children is beautiful – but it takes work." Their daughter Grace may follow in their footsteps. In 2023, Stephen noted: "Grace is actually going to take a year out and work at Matriarch next year. But Alfie, nah, he doesn't want anything to do with it at all. Although he is a poser, he likes modelling, and he's got a few shoots."
Life in Ibstock
Stephen lives in the village of Ibstock in Leicestershire and feels completely at home, welcomed by neighbours. He told Leicestershire Live: "I'm part of the furniture here. I love the sense of camaraderie in Ibstock, the community spirit. It's a proper English village. I like it that I can go into Smith's, the local butchers – they've been here for years – and people are all chatting and they say hello, how are ya and they treat me like they do everyone else. They've taken me in."
