County star says Jodie becoming one of the finest actors we’ve had
STEPHEN STARS IN COVID DRAMA HELP SHOWING
ACTOR Stephen Graham has lavished praise on his co-star in a new Channel 4 drama.
Help, which is set in a care home in the early stages of the pandemic, sees Stephen, who lives in Ibstock, appear with Jodie Comer – and he is tipping the Killing Eve star to become “one of the finest actors we’ve ever had”.
Help portrays the relationship between Sarah, a care home worker, played by Jodie, and Stephen’s patient, Tony.
Stephen, whose impressive credits include the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean films as well as ground-breaking TV dramas including This Is England, The Virtues and Time, said: “I feel like we work in very similar ways.
“We had a lovely time. There were giggles when there shouldn’t have been giggles, as is often the case on set.
“She’s just a joy to work with. We just sat and played and it was gorgeous.”
One of the highlights of filming, he said, was the day Jodie treated Stephen and others to a pot of her mum Debbie’s Scouse – a traditional Liverpudlian stew.
Jodie and Stephen have worked together once before, on the miniseries Good Cop in 2012.
Jodie’s career then took a lifechanging turn following an introduction to Stephen’s agent, Jane Epstein.
Ms Epstein had a meeting with Jodie and became her agent, which led to the audition for the breakthrough role of Villanelle in Killing Eve.
In Jodie’s 2019 Bafta leading actress ward acceptance speech, she said she owed Stephen a pint.
Help will air on Channel 4 on Thursday, at 9pm.