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Jodie Comer Reveals How Stephan Graham Discovered Her And Helped Launch Her Career

Ciara Sheppard

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Jodie Comer Reveals How Stephan Graham Discovered Her And Helped Launch Her Career

Featured Image Credit: PA

These days, Jodie Comer is a household name - but there was a time when the BAFTA-winning actress was paying her dues on the acting circuit just like hundreds of others.

It wasn't until 2012 when she was cast in a BBC miniseries alongside Stephen Graham that her career was catapulted, when the This Is England actor passed her name on to his agent, Jane Epstein.

Speaking about her first meet with the actor with Lauren Laverne on Radio 6 today (Wednesday 24th), Jodie described how the fellow Liverpudlian gave her some sound advice.

Jodie as Villanelle in 'Killing Eve' (Credit: BBC)
Jodie as Villanelle in 'Killing Eve' (Credit: BBC)
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"I worked with Stephen when I was about 16," said Jodie, 27. "I had one day shooting with him on a drama called Good Cop on the BBC.

"[I was] just like chatting to him throughout the day, picking his brains, asking him lots of questions."

The Killing Eve star also spoke about how the Line of Duty actor, 46, encouraged her to keep her Scouse accent.

Jodie in 'My Mad Fat Diary' (Credit: Channel 4)
Jodie in 'My Mad Fat Diary' (Credit: Channel 4)
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"I remember at that time feeling like I needed to take elocution lessons," she said. "I don't know where I got that from but he was like 'you're kidding me, don't you dare ever lose this accent!'"

She went on: "He's so true to himself and it was so good to have someone exactly like him, who is from where I'm from, and celebrates how they are in an industry where there are probably less working class actors.

"To have someone like him is amazing."

Jodie has spoken about Stephen has acted as her mentor (Credit: BBC)
Jodie has spoken about Stephen has acted as her mentor (Credit: BBC)
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Jodie has previously spoken about how the actor plucked her from relative obscurity when she was starting out to give her her break.

While accepting her BAFTA for Leading Actress for her role as Villanelle in Killing Eve, Jodie thanked Stephen saying: "I want to take this moment to thank Stephen Graham," she said.

"If I didn't owe you a pint before then, I do now. Thank you for the generosity you showed me all those years ago and for introducing me to Jane."

She was talking about Stephen's longtime agent Jane Epstein of 19 years, who has spoken about the moment the actor called her and raved about the young actress after meeting her on set.

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The pair filmed scenes together for Good Cop, a police drama where Jodie plays a waitress sexually harassed by Stephen's character in a toilet cubicle.

Jane told the Guardian: "Stephen called me from the set of a series he was doing back in 2012 called Good Cop and passionately described a scene he had just shot with a young actress who he thought was one of the most exciting talents he had worked with to date.

"He was so impressed by her and asked if I would meet her. I did, and he was right."

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She added: "You just get a gut feeling when you meet someone that you know you want to work with. While Jodie was very young it was nevertheless obvious to me that she had the energy and spirit that would translate on to the screen.

"That, coupled with the fact that I trusted Stephen's judgment, made my decision to offer representation to Jodie an easy one."

We love a story like this! How incredible must it be to have Stephen as a mentor?!

Jodie is starring as Lesley in BBC's 'Talking Heads' (Credit: BBC)
Jodie is starring as Lesley in BBC's 'Talking Heads' (Credit: BBC)

While speaking on Radio 6, Jodie was promoting her new BBC show Talking Heads - a modern retelling of the 1988 Alan Bennett TV series, where she performs a monologue as her character Lesley.

The 12-part series began on BBC One on Tuesday 23rd June and is also available on iPlayer.

Topics: TV News, Jodie Comer, TV Entertainment

Ciara Sheppard
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