Netflix’s highly rated crime drama Adolescence, which he is also the co-writer and executive producer of.

From his beginnings in films like Gangs of New York and This is England to his more recent reviews of Adolescence are strong, audiences should also check out some of the actor’s best movies and TV shows.

12 Gangs Of New York (2002)

Role: Shang

Martin Scorsese’s movie Gangs of New York is one of Graham’s earliest projects, and one that plays a part in his later casting in This is England. Graham portrays Shang, one of the of the Irish Catholic group who stands by Leonardo DiCaprio as Amsterdam. Shang is a pickpocket with an edge, and Graham does a great job at bringing the character to life.

He has a lot of powerful scenes in the movie. The way Shang panics after seeing the military shoot McGloin down, before charging at them with an axe, is incredible. Shang’s presence in the movie is rather powerful, and it’s no surprise this role has made such a big impact on Graham’s career. It’s a shame Graham doesn’t play a bigger part in this, but considering how early this role is in his career, it’s still impressive.

11 Little Boy Blue (2017)

Role: Detective Superintendent Dave Kelly

Little Boy Blue is a gripping four-part British miniseries worth bingeing over a weekend. The fantastic drama stars Graham as Detective Superintendent Dave Kelly. Kelly’s story centers on his investigation into the death of a schoolboy. Little Boy Blue delves into the harsh realities of gangs on the streets of the UK and is based on the true story of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, who was shot while on his way home from football practice in 2007.

Considering how important this story is to the British public, Graham’s nuanced performance as DS Kelly is nothing short of emotional, and it makes sense that he received an RTS award for this role. Graham tackles the role with a lot of respect by sticking to the story, and his powerful portrayal of Kelly reiterates the important message of Little Boy Blue beautifully. Little Boy Blue is a show that sticks with audiences long after finishing it.

10 Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014)

Role: Al Capone

Graham takes on another role in a Martin Scorcese project, this time as Al Capone in the HBO drama Boardwalk Empire, a brutal Chicago gangster who works for crime boss Johnny Torio. What’s interesting about Graham’s Screen Actors Guild Award-winning portrayal in Boardwalk Empire is that Capone is supposed to be 21 years old, and while the actor is clearly older than this, it doesn’t dampen his performance whatsoever.

Despite being inspired by the real-life gangster, Graham adds layers to Al Capone and makes the character his own in several ways, too. Capone’s relationship with his deaf son, Sonny, is particularly poignant. It’s fascinating to see Graham demonstrate a more convoluted side to Capone, especially as this is something the history books don’t focus on as much in comparison to the gangster’s criminal activities.

9 Bodies (2023)

Role: Elias Mannix

Graham plays Elias Mannix in Bodies, one of the best detective sci-fi TV shows from recent years. Although the actor isn’t the only main focus of Bodies, despite his prominence in the show’s marketing, he still stands out in the ensemble cast.

Graham portrays the older Mannix in the year 2053, the last period in a lengthy murder mystery that spans over 150 years, and is the leader of the political group, The Executive. Graham’s character is an enigma, and his performance makes Mannix even more intriguing.

Even though Graham shares this role with Gabriel Howell, meaning audiences don’t see as much of him on-screen as they’d like, it’s fascinating to see how the older Mannix will act after a scene featuring his younger self. Sci-fi isn’t a typical genre for Graham to appear in, but Bodies still stands as one of his best TV shows despite this.

8 Time (2021-2023)

Role: Eric McNally

Graham amazingly keeps up with the star-studded cast of the BBC's Time, including the likes of Sean Bean, in a story about a prison. The actor plays prison officer Eric McNally opposite Bean as the recently incarcerated Mark Cobden but faces an impossible situation that forces him to choose between his loved ones and his morals.

Graham’s BAFTA-nominated performance is gripping, and McNally’s efforts to protect his son make his story even more enthralling.

Graham’s BAFTA-nominated performance is gripping, and McNally’s efforts to protect his son make his story even more enthralling. Despite being one of the two leads in Time, the rest of the characters’ stories are also so thrilling that Graham loses some focus at times.

However, this doesn’t mean the actor is bad in Time, it’s simply the case that the rest of the cast is so powerful that he faces some competition. Unfortunately, Graham isn’t in Time season 2, but this shouldn’t stop viewers from checking it out anyway.

7 The Irishman (2019)

Role: Anthony "Tony Pro" Provenzano

Graham plays Anthony "Tony Pro" Provenzano in The Irishman, based on the real-life mobster from the Genovese crime family. Graham proves he can hold himself against some of Hollywood's biggest names, and he doesn’t feel any less than titans of industry Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Provenzano is hot-headed, and therefore is constantly facing conflict with other characters, and Graham does an astounding job at translating the character’s emotions to the screen.

While The Irishman is a rather long watch, Graham’s several confrontations with Pacino's Jimmy Hoffa help break the time up. There’s no doubt Graham is a standout in The Irishman, but I wish more people would watch the movie for the British actor, rather than the other popular names. Graham’s performance is stellar, but it’s quite impressive that others are even better.

6 Help (2021)

Role: Tony

Help is an incredibly touching story that never fails to make me emotional. Graham demonstrates that he is just as powerful in a ing role in Time, in which he portrays Tony, a man with early-onset Alzheimer's who lives in the home Jodie Comer’s Sarah starts working at. The interactions between Sarah and Tony are astounding, and it’s truly incredible how Graham portrays the illness.

Help delves into the harrowing events of the COVID-19 pandemic and the healthcare workers in the UK who stick by those who need help. This makes Tony’s story even more heartbreaking, as not only is he struggling to remain in the present, but the lockdown impacts his sense of reality even more so. Even when Sarah takes Tony to her caravan, she never falters in her care of him. Graham is fantastic in Help, but it’s important to note that his performance is even better because of Comer.

5 The Virtues (2019)

Role: Joseph

The Virtues is another deeply profound project from Graham, in which he plays Joseph. After Joseph’s wife leaves him and takes their child abroad, Joseph reunites with his long-lost sister in Ireland and faces the haunting memories of his upbringing in an orphanage. The Virtues does a deep dive into some rather difficult topics, such as child abuse and sexual assault, and Graham tackles Joseph’s approach to his past beautifully.

Years after The Virtues’ release, Graham continues to be praised for his performance, and I’m still surprised he didn’t win the BAFTA for Best Actor for it. Graham is fantastic at taking on characters with complicated and harrowing backstories just like this one, and he continuously proves that he can tackle any topic or role with respect and commitment. Joseph’s battle with alcoholism is a particularly strong part of Graham’s portrayal, too, and he’s a character many well.

4 Line Of Duty (2012-2021)

Role: John Corbett

Line of Duty is one of the most popular British murder mystery TV shows of all time, and despite Graham only starring in season 5, he still steals every scene he appears in. Graham is introduced as John Corbett, who initially appears to be a high-roller in an organized crime group, but he is later revealed to be an undercover police officer. Despite his limited run in Line of Duty, Corbett’s story immediately grips viewers.

Corbett goes rogue, cuts with his handler, and throws himself further into the criminal life. The character is so complex and layered, but Graham plays him without batting an eyelid, yet you can tell how dedicated the actor is, as well. To this day, it astounds me that Graham has never received an accolade for his performance, especially as he made such a tremendous impact in such a small amount of time.

3 Boiling Point (2021)

Role: Chef Andy Jones

Graham stars as Chef Andy Jones in Boiling Point and also acts alongside his real-life wife, Hannah Walters, who plays Emily. Both the 2021 movie and the TV show continuation of Boiling Point is a great watch for fans of The Bear, as it focuses on the high-stakes pressures of working in a restaurant’s kitchen. Boiling Point is a single-shot title, which makes the pacing of the film even more intriguing.

Andy has some Gordon Ramsey moments in Boiling Point, but Graham’s performance has peaks and valleys, ensuring the character isn’t one-note. The way he tackles conflicts with his staff, the stress of his establishment’s declining rating, and the pressures of needing to repay $200,000 to his former boss are incredible. Graham doesn’t stop for a single moment in Boiling Point, and he carries the film from start to finish.