James Nelson-Joyce has expressed his admiration for fellow actor Stephen Graham while discussing his new role in the BBC drama 'This City Is Ours'.
The 36-year-old, from Liverpool, native portrays Michael Kavanagh, a man whose life has been steeped in organised crime, alongside his business partner Ronnie Phelan, played by Sean Bean.
The narrative delves into the consequences when Ronnie's son Jamie, portrayed by Jack McMullen, decides he wants to take over their empire and that Michael is no longer welcome at the table.
However, the dynamics shift when Michael encounters Diana, played by Hannah Onslow, and they start envisioning a future devoid of crime. But when a cocaine consignment from Colombia disappears, fissures begin to appear, signalling that their empire is under threat.
In a chat with the BBC, James paid homage to his fellow Liverpudlians and acknowledged the city's influential figures for his success, reports the Liverpool Echo.
"It's the best city in the world, and it is home", he declared. "Growing up, I admired Jamie Carragher, and I wanted to be Liverpool FC captain."
He further added: "And there are actors like Stephen Graham, who is one of those people I look up to in life. He is all about encouragement."
Stephen and James previously shared screen space in the real-life crime drama 'Little Boy Blue' in 2017, which recounts the heartbreaking tale of 11 year old Rhys Jones who was tragically killed in Liverpool while returning home from football practice.
James heaped praise on his former castmate, saying: "Stephen likes to pass on advice. He is a massive inspiration and I have been fortunate to work with him. He told me once that he's always just a phone call away.
"I know he'll watch and support This City is Ours, and I look forward to hearing what he thinks about it. I want viewers to join us from episode one and stay with us. It will be worth the ride."
In other news, Stephen, aged 51, is absolutely taken aback by the incredible reaction to Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’.
Not only does he star in this captivating series, but he also put pen to paper alongside Jack Thorne to conjure its compelling narrative, which delves deep into the unnerving dilemma: "What would you do if your teenage son was accused of murder?".
The show has rocketed to international fame, smashing Netflix viewing records as it garnered a staggering 24.3 million views worldwide within just four days of its launch, soaring even higher to an astounding 66.3 million after the subsequent fortnight.
All episodes of The City is Ours are available on BBC iPlayer, with the series airing every Sunday at 9pm BBC One
English (United States) ·