How Bruce Springsteen brought Adolescence's Stephen Graham to tears with a text

Bruce Springsteen brought Adolescence star Stephen Graham to tears with just a text message, the actor has revealed.

The Adolescence star will play Bruce Springsteen's father, Douglas Springsteen, in the upcoming biopic, Deliver Me from Nowhere, about the singer's life, and the actor has revealed Bruce got in touch to thank him for bringing his late father back to life on the big screen.

During an appearance on the Soundtracking with Edith Bowman podcast, Stephen said: "[It was one of] the most gorgeous texts I’ve ever had in my life.

"I’m racing to get to the airport, and I got this text, and it was so beautiful. It just said: ‘Better than any award that I could ever receive in my life' ...

"[Springsteen is] an icon. He’s a hero. He’s a working-class hero. He’s an icon to thousands, to millions.

"And his text just said: ‘Thank you so much. You know, my father passed away a while ago and I felt like I saw him today and thank you for giving me that memory'."

Stephen admitted the message moved him to tears, adding: "I was crying reading the text, do you know what I mean? Oh mate, it was beautiful. 
"You couldn’t ask for anything more, you know, to share that with someone was gorgeous. He’s a lovely man."

The actor plays Douglas, who died in 1998, in the film alongside The Bear's Jeremy Allen White as The Boss, Jeremy Strong as Bruce's long-time manager Jon Landau, and Odessa Young as love interest Faye.

Bruce recently opened up about the casting in an interview on SiriusXM’s E Street Radio, saying of Jeremy: "He sings well. He sings very well," before adding, "You know, and Jeremy Strong and Odessa Young ... it’s a tremendous cast of people. They cast the film beautifully, so it’s very exciting.

"Jeremy [Allen White] is such a terrific actor that you just fall right into it. 

"He’s got an interpretation of me that I think the fans will deeply recognise and he’s just done a great job, so I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve had a lot of fun being on the set when I can get there."

Deliver Me from Nowhere is expected to hit cinemas later in 2025.

The biopic will follow Bruce Springsteen on his journey to make his sixth album, a departure from his previous work and one representing the Boss at his most stripped-down and personal. Bruce recorded Nebraska in the sparsest, least fussy way possible—on a four-track cassette in his bedroom in New Jersey.

- Written by Bang! Showbiz and republished with edits and permission.