Ashley Walters, star of Adolescence, has candidly expressed “regret” over accepting a role in Stephen Graham’s intense new drama series.
Known for his portrayal in Top Boy, Walters steps into the shoes of DI Luke Bascombe in the ambitious four-part production, uniquely shot in nearly hour-long continuous takes.
The dramatic storyline thrusts his character into the lives of a family reeling from tragedy as he arrests teen Jamie Miller (played by Owen Cooper) for the murder of a schoolgirl, with the boy’s parents, played by Graham and Christine Tremarco, coping with their world torn apart.
At the show’s premiere in London, Walters opened up about his initial ignorance of what the project entailed when his “friend and mentor” Graham approached him.
Committed to any project involving Graham, he stated: “Regardless of what the job was going to be, I would have said yes anyway.
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“You never say no to Stephen Graham.
“He has a heart of gold, he’s one of the purest guys in this industry, as far as I’m concerned. I’ve worked with a lot of people, they are not all like him. So to work with people that you love, respect, is so rare in this game.
“So when you get the opportunity, you do it. And that’s what it was.”
However, he humorously confessed the emotional toll the role took on him: “And when I got there… I f****** regretted it.”
Adolescence’s first episode follows the harrowing arrest of a 13-year-old boy (Image: NETFLIX)
His confession, prompting laughter from the crowd, was followed by a vivid account of the experience. “Every day, Phil [Barantini, director] will tell you, I was in tears! Every day I was going home, crying in my script. Rocking, you know.”
Reflecting on the formidable challenge, he continued: “It was the hardest thing in the world. No, no it was. I was so insecure. I was so insecure, and it’s a lot. I had to learn the whole script.
“And I had a lot to say in that first episode. And you’re leading a lot of it, as well. A lot of it is police jargon and whatever.”
Walters further revealed his behind-the-scenes preparations, where he joined a real police operation with his co-star, Graham’s cousin – who Graham clarified “was the copper, by the way!” Despite the raid turning out to be an “anti-climax” he found it beneficial: “It was all irrelevant,” said Walters. “It was fun and I got to see procedure and stuff like that, but actually, the heart of that character is him being a dad. That’s the connection.
Ashley Walters admitted he was ‘insecure’ on set (Image: NETFLIX)
“And, I think, for Bascombe, someone who’s dealing with these sorts of cases a lot, he wanted justice for the little girl, he wanted justice for that family.
“But, on arresting this young man, there comes the question ‘Why? Why is this happening?'”
With personal ties managing to resonate strongly with his character, Walters, a father of four from a previous relationship and currently living with his wife and two children, the storyline closely mirrors his own realities. Thankfully, despite the intensive nature of shooting episodes consecutively without interruption, Walters rose to the challenge and delivers a stunning performance in the drama.
Adolescence is available to stream on .