After an early career boost from roles in Snatch, Band of Brothers, and Gangs of New York, Stephen Graham experienced a prolonged drought lasting nearly five years with minimal work. Despite earning recognition for his performance as a violent skinhead in Shane Meadows' This Is England and a supporting role in Public Enemies, opportunities remained scarce, prompting him to seriously contemplate leaving the profession around 2009.

The turning point arrived when Martin Scorsese, having worked with Graham previously, contacted him with an offer to play Al Capone in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. This role, which Graham performed until 2014, marked the beginning of sustained professional success, bringing him Screen Actors Guild nominations and opening doors to subsequent acclaimed work including The Irishman, Peaky Blinders, and Emmy-winning television projects.