Hannah Walters has spoken about her new film Amazing Grace, her marriage to Stephen Graham, and why she considers Liverpool her second home. The 52-year-old met Graham when they were both acting students at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in London. After years of being best friends, Graham shared his feelings for her when she considered relocating to Spain. The couple have two children, Alfie and Grace.
World premiere in Crosby
The family attended the world premiere of Amazing Grace at the Crosby Community Plaza this week. The film, released on November 6, marks Walters' first lead role in a movie. She stars as Grace, a helpline volunteer counsellor who forms a bond over the phone with a man in crisis.
Speaking to the ECHO at the event, Walters said: "You always get a bit nervous at these things because as much as you've seen it and you love it, the testament is an audience sitting and watching it. It was an incredible film made on a ridiculously low budget." She added: "It shows you can make incredible feature films for literally next to nothing. With a good team and good support, fabulous writing, cast and crew, it can be done."
The film received two standing ovations from the crowd on Thursday (October 29).
An Instagram DM that led to a film
The project began when co-star and writer Daniel P. Lewis reached out to Walters with an Instagram message. As co-founder of Matriarch Productions, Walters receives countless scripts, but something about Lewis's approach resonated with her.
She said: "It's funny isn't it? Sometimes in life, you just meet people you connect to and have an instant chemistry with. Daniel just reached out to me. There was something in his words, something in his manner, something in the way that he approached it. It was so beautiful and so humble, that I just responded, then a relationship formed."
She added: "That relationship just formed and he sent me the script for Amazing Grace, I fell in love with it and then we made this film." She laughed: "An Instagram DM relationship, which sounds dodgy but it wasn't at all."
Championing Scouse talent
Walters wanted to support Lewis's career, noting he is unrepresented. She said: "He's unrepresented. No writing agent, no acting agent, which is one of the reasons that I wanted to do this film. To give him his flowers. He needs this in order to carry on his creative journey."
She has also championed Merseyside actors, including James Nelson-Joyce and Ellis Howard, who were both nominated alongside Stephen Graham in the Best Actor category at the BAFTA awards earlier this year. Walters said: "We want to give someone an opportunity that wouldn't necessarily get that opportunity. It's giving voices and people platforms that they would sometimes find hard to get to. It's opening doors for creatives that the doors don't usually open, that are a little bit shut."
She added: "Stephen and I both come from very humble beginnings. When you come from that, you really appreciate what you've got. We instil that into our kids as well."
Feeling at home in Liverpool
The film, directed by Ruth Carney, was shot on a shoestring budget in the region. It features Merseyside cast members including James Nelson-Joyce and Sonny Walker. Having the world premiere in the city felt fitting, as Walters said it feels like her second home. The actor, from Leicestershire, said: "I've been coming here since I was 19. Half of my life has been spent coming back and forth to Liverpool and I have lots of family here. Stephen's family that I consider my own family and it has a little piece of my heart."
She joked about embracing Scouse culture, saying: "I turned up to the accommodation yesterday and I had rollers in my hair. [The staff at the accommodation] was just like, 'yeah, you've been here for far too many years'. I'm driving down the M6 with my rollers in and Stephen by my side. After 33 years, am I not an adopted Scouser?"
Looking ahead, Walters said: "Producing wise, we have got a project that we are starting to film at the beginning of next year for Netflix, which is another Jack Thorne [who wrote Adolescence] piece. And then for Hannah Walters, I am available for jobs as the actress so bring it on."
Amazing Grace will be released in cinemas on November 6.
