British actor Stephen Graham, known for his performance in Netflix’s Adolescence, recently received a touching message from Bruce Springsteen after portraying the musician’s father in the upcoming biopic, Deliver Me from Nowhere. During a conversation on Soundtracking with Edith Bowman, the 51-year-old actor shared that Springsteen personally reached out to him following the film’s completion, offering praise for his performance.
Graham, who plays Douglas “Dutch” Springsteen in the Jeremy Allen White-led project, recalled receiving the unexpected text while hurrying to catch a flight. “I was rushing to the airport, and suddenly, I got this message. It was so moving,” he revealed. Springsteen, 75, wrote in the message: “Better than any award I could ever receive in my life.”
For Stephen, the words held immense significance. He described Springsteen as an icon and a hero, admired by millions worldwide. The heartfelt message continued with Bruce expressing his gratitude: “Thank you so much. My father passed away some time ago, and today, I felt like I saw him again. Thank you for giving me that memory.”
Stephen admitted the emotional weight of the moment, saying, “I was in tears while reading it. It was such a beautiful thing to experience. You couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Alongside Stephen and Jeremy Allen White, the film features Jeremy Strong as Bruce’s longtime manager Jon Landau, Paul Walter Hauser as guitar tech Mike Batlan, Odessa Young as Bruce’s love interest Faye, and Johnny Cannizzaro as E Street Band member Steve Van Zandt.
Springsteen has previously spoken about his complicated relationship with his father in his 2016 memoir, Born to Run, a topic that was reportedly discussed between the actor and the rock legend.
With such an emotional connection between the film and its subject, Deliver Me from Nowhere is expected to be a powerful and heartfelt tribute to Bruce Springsteen’s journey and legacy.