Stephen Graham, known for his harrowing roles in Adolescence, This is England, Boiling Point, and Boardwalk Empire, has made a surprise cameo in British singer Myles Smith's latest music video. The 52-year-old actor appears in the video for Smith's single Hold Me in the Dark, released on Monday, June 22, 2026, to coincide with the launch of Smith's debut album My Mess, My Heart, My Life.
Video Plot and Graham's Role
In the video, Graham plays a struggling father dealing with his daughter's terminal cancer diagnosis. He is shown grappling with grief at home and breaking down in a children's hospital when a nurse delivers the terminal news. However, he experiences an epiphany and begins conducting experiments and drawings to preserve his daughter's memories. Using reflections from mirrors and glass chandeliers, he constructs a tribute that projects a rainbow into the hospital room where his daughter is staying.
The child tragically passes away, and in the epilogue, Graham's character sits by her empty bed as facts about childhood cancer appear on screen. The video aims to highlight the emotional toll of pediatric cancer.
Director's Statement
BRIT Award winner Myles Smith explained the inspiration behind the video: "'Hold Me In The Dark' is a song about loving someone through uncertainty and staying beside them when life feels impossibly heavy. The video explores that idea through the story of a father and daughter." He added, "What I love about the film is that, at first, you think you're watching someone unravel. But as the story unfolds, you realise that every strange object and every seemingly irrational decision is actually an act of love."
Smith continued: "[Stephen]'s not losing his grip on reality – he's trying to do something impossible for the person he loves most. At its heart, it's a story about hope, sacrifice and the lengths we go to for the people we care about, even in the darkest moments, love can still give us something to hold on to."
