Inside Stephen Graham's ethnicity as Adolescence star gives emotional Emmys speech

Stephen Graham couldn’t help but get emotional during his Emmy acceptance speech as he stated “this kind of thing doesn’t happen to a kid like me”.

Adolescence became an instant global success when it was dropped on Netflix earlier this year, telling the story of a teenage boy accused of fatally stabbing another child.

Graham portrayed Eddie, the father of said teenager Jamie Miller, portrayed by 15-year-old Owen Cooper who has become the youngest male actor to win an Emmy.

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When the 52-year-old took to the stage himself to claim his award for Outstanding Lead Actor, he touched upon his past before becoming an actor.

Graham shared: "This kind of thing doesn't happen to a kid like me. I'm just a mixed race kid from a block of flats in a place called Kirkby.

"So for me, to be here today, in front of my peers and to be acknowledged by you is the utmost humbling thing I could ever imagine in my life, and it shows you that any dream is possible.”

While Graham was born in Kirby, Lancashire, he has both Jamaican and Swedish heritage on his father’s side.

His biological grandfather was part of the Windrush generation who moved to the UK from Jamaica in the 1960s but died before the actor was born.

Graham previously opened up on experiencing bullying when he was younger, telling Desert Island Discs: "I'm mixed race and that was kind of frowned on in those days.

“There were times growing up when I was slightly unsure where I fitted in. That n-word popped up when I was younger."

Graham also spoke about how it was his step-father Mike Fazakerley, who he affectionately calls Pops, helped him through this difficult time.

He added: "He [Mike] helped me see who I am and what I am is good enough.

“He helped me find my own way and I got that sense of self in many respects from my mother, finding your own way."

Adolescence proved to be the overall winners of the night at the Emmy this weekend with the show taking home six awards.

This included accolades for both Graham and Cooper’s performances, as well as for Limited or Anthology series, and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Erin Doherty.

Adolescence is available to watch on Netflix