Adolescence actor Stephen Graham reveals real-life murders of young girls moved him to create crime-drama, says, "Adolescence holds a mirror up to society"

Adolescence actor Stephen Graham

Netflix’s latest crime-drama series Adolescence is winning critical acclaim and has sparked intense conversations. Co-created by Stephen Graham, who also plays a major role in the series, Adolescence tackles themes like the incel subculture, misogyny, toxic masculinity, and the impact of social media on teenagers.

Stephen Graham has been vocal about the show’s mission, stating, “Adolescence holds a mirror up to society.” The actor was inspired to create the show after reading news stories about tragic incidents involving young girls being murdered by boys in different parts of the country. “I read an article about a young girl who was stabbed to death by a young boy, and then a few months later, on the news there was a young girl who, again, had been brutally stabbed to death by a young boy in a completely different part of the country. If I’m really honest with you, that hurt my heart and I just thought, why? Why does this kind of thing happen? What is this society? Why have we reached this point where this kind of thing is happening? What was the reason?”Graham said in an emotional interview with Sky News.

The show delves into the troubling rise of misogynistic tendencies among young boys and how online influences are shaping a new kind of toxic masculinity. Graham emphasized that these issues are systemic and widespread. “You look at it and you see that we’re kind of all accountable to an extent. There’s failings within the school system, there’s situations where the education system can look at this, look at what’s happened with that kind of rise in these misogynistic tendencies. The society as a whole can look at this, parents obviously can look at this, and the government in many ways,” he added.

Ashley Walters, another key actor in the series, echoed similar sentiments. Talking about his exposure to online extremism, Walters admitted, “I’d seen bits of the Andrew Tate stuff kind of popping up online or whatever, but I never really delved into it. And for me, this was the first real experience.” He expressed concern for the mental pressure today’s kids face. “I do sometimes feel sorry for [kids]. When I was growing up, I was in a bubble. I didn’t have a clue what was going on in the States and other parts of the world. It was just kind of in my little area that I grew up in with my family… I wasn’t seeing Bentleys and designer clothes and all of this stuff. It’s like I was happy with what I had. And now you’re exposed to everything. It’s no wonder that kids mentally grow up quicker.”

Also Read: Sonu Sood’s wife Sonali and nephew injured in major car crash at Nagpur highway

Walters also touched on how young boys struggle to express their emotions, which adds to the emotional tension shown in the series. “It’s really important that we have these conversations and we make it normal to have discussions just like women and young girls do about feelings and whatever they’re going through. That was one of the big reasons why I wanted to be a part of this conversation that we’re creating,” he said. “I’m a strong advocate for, as a man, being vulnerable, crying in front of my friends, and just saying how I feel. It’s even difficult for me at times, so I can’t imagine how young men are at the moment… everything that’s going on around social media in their lives, how difficult it is for them to start this conversation.”

Jack Thorne, writer and co-creator of Adolescence, believes it’s time for governments to take more responsibility in this arena. He stressed the importance of guiding young people through the digital maze of social media. “I think this government needs to do something. And there’s a private members’ bill going through the Commons on Friday that has been watered down quite extensively by this government because they’re frightened of big tech. And we need to be having conversations like Australia’s having conversations, whether they’re actually putting in legislation about restricting social media access. We need to be having those conversations in this country and we’re not. And if we don’t have these conversations, it is going to get worse.”

The show doesn’t shy away from confronting its viewers with uncomfortable truths. Graham revealed how creating Adolescence meant stepping into digital dark zones. “Doing this show I spent a lot of time in a lot of dark places. I saw where the web went and where the web goes. And it’s not about Andrew Tate. Andrew Tate is the shorthand for adults. There’s much worse stuff out there. And it teaches kids a logic… that makes sense of the world for them in a really distorted and ugly way. And unless we look at that and talk about that, things are only going to get worse.”

Adolescence is more than a drama—it’s a wake-up call. Through its storytelling and brutal honesty, it brings attention to the silent crises brewing in digital and real-life spaces. Whether it’s the failure of education systems, parental guidance, social media influence, or societal neglect, the show underlines that these issues require urgent attention and action.