Stephen Graham made an emotional FaceTime call to his stepfather, Mike Fazakerley, after the Netflix limited series Adolescence swept eight awards at Sunday night’s Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.
The wins turned Graham into a three-time Emmy winner for his work acting in, writing and producing the series. Surrounded by co-stars, his wife and other members of the team outside Netflix’s post-Emmys party, he raised the phone above the noise and shouted, “We did alright dad!” as friends cheered.
Adolescence, which premiered on Netflix earlier this year and averaged about 45 million views per month, centers on Jamie Miller, a schoolboy accused of murdering a classmate after being exposed to extreme and misogynistic content online. The series’ awards haul also included a Best Supporting Actor win for 15-year-old Owen Cooper, who became the youngest male acting winner in Emmy history; a Best Supporting Actress win for Erin Doherty; and a directing prize for Philip Barantini. The show had already collected two technical awards in pre-show announcements for cinematography and casting.
Graham plays Eddie Miller, the father of Jamie, and was joined at the party by his wife and co-producer Hannah Walters and their children, Grace, 20, and Alfie, 18. He embraced co-creator Jack Thorne and posed with other members of the creative team, including Netflix executives, during celebrations following the ceremony.
Mike Fazakerley, who married Graham’s mother Mary in 1989 when Graham was 10, has spoken publicly about his pride in the actor’s achievements. In an interview earlier this year from the Liverpool home he shared with Mary, Fazakerley told the Daily Mail he was “highly proud” of Graham and called him “one of this country’s finest.” Mary died in 2022.
Fazakerley, a former mechanic who later trained as a paediatric nurse, has been a central figure in Graham’s life. Graham has credited his stepfather’s guidance with helping him understand his heritage and develop a sense of identity. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs in 2019, Graham said Fazakerley helped him “see who I am and what I am is good enough.” He has also said his paternal grandfather was from Jamaica and that Fazakerley, who was born in Africa, taught him family history.
Cast and crew reactions at the Emmys reflected the show’s impact on audiences and industry voters. Owen Cooper’s acting win was singled out as a historic moment for the awards; the young actor attended Netflix’s after-party and celebrated with the cast before returning to school in Warrington later this week.
Adolescence has drawn attention for its portrayal of social media, online harms and teenage life, and its ratings performance made it a cultural touchpoint for parents and adolescents worldwide. The series’ Emmy success confirms its critical reception and the industry recognition of its creative team’s approach to a story about youth and digital danger.
The Emmy ceremony and subsequent celebrations took place less than six months after the series reached record streaming numbers. The wins mark a high point in Graham’s career and a moment of recognition for the series’ ensemble, writers, directors and production staff.