Hannah Walters is an acclaimed English actress, producer, and director best known as the wife of Stephen Graham and for her pivotal creative and executive role in the Emmy-winning Netflix series Adolescence. Beyond her high-profile marriage, Walters has built an influential career in acting and production, shaping major projects and driving conversations around social issues through storytelling.
Early Life and Education
Born on January 19, 1974, in England, Hannah Walters trained at the Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance in Sidcup, southeast London. It was here that she met Stephen Graham, who would become not only her life partner but also her artistic collaborator. Their friendship blossomed into a partnership at home and in the professional world, culminating in their marriage on June 6, 2008.
Building a Creative Legacy
Hannah Walters began her professional career in 2006 with a role in The Thieving Headmistress and soon appeared in Shane Meadows’ This Is England (2006) and its sequels, both film and TV, where she made a mark portraying deeply nuanced characters. Her TV career has been equally diverse, with recurring roles in Whitechapel as DC Megan Riley, No Offence as Connie Ball, and Malpractice as Matron Beth Relph. Her performances have consistently demonstrated versatility, from crime drama to dark comedy to medical thriller.
As Walters expanded her creative reach, she also stepped behind the camera, playing dual roles as both performer and producer. In Boiling Point (2021), she acted and served as an executive producer, with the film earning critical acclaim and box-office success in the UK and internationally. Her recent credits include roles and production work in PRU, Sweet Sue, and the BBC TV series adaptation of Boiling Point.
Executive Producer and Advocate: ‘Adolescence’
Hannah Walters’ stature leapt with her work on Netflix’s Adolescence, released in 2025. As executive producer and cameo artist, she was integral to the show’s creative vision and execution, alongside her husband Stephen Graham, who starred in and co-developed the series. The drama, centring on timely themes such as youth violence and the impact of toxic online culture, resonated with audiences and critics alike, earning multiple Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.
Hannah Walters has spoken movingly about the series’s impact, noting the flood of messages from parents thanking her team for prompting important family conversations about topics the show raises. She described her goal as “encouraging everyone to take action and ensure this generation does not get overlooked, as it is all too easy for them to feel lost.” Such comments underscore her commitment not just to entertainment but to social change and community engagement.
Collaboration and Production: Matriarch Productions
In 2020, Hannah Walters and Stephen Graham co-founded Matriarch Productions, a company dedicated to producing distinctive television and film projects with social resonance. Under this banner, they have brought several acclaimed projects to life, including Adolescence and Disney+’s A Thousand Blows. Their collaborative process extends from script selection, where Walters often helps identify compelling roles for Graham and herself, to guiding the overall direction of their productions.
Personal Life and Impact
Outside of her creative achievements, Hannah Walters is deeply invested in her family. She and Stephen Graham are parents to two children, Grace and Alfie, and live in Leicestershire, England. Walters has played a critical role behind the scenes in Graham’s career, from helping him memorise scripts (especially valuable due to his dyslexia) to advising on project choices and providing steadfast support throughout their marriage. Their relationship, rooted in trust and deep friendship, is a frequent topic in interviews and media coverage and is often cited by Graham as essential to his well-being and professional success.
Hannah Walters: A Role Model for Modern Creatives
Hannah Walters stands out not only for her impressive list of credits but also for her approach to partnership, creativity, and advocacy. Her success as a producer and executive is matched by her ability to balance artistic ambition with real-world relevance, placing values such as empathy and community impact at the heart of her projects.
Her journey from drama student to Emmy-winning producer is notable for its breadth and integrity. Walters’s work, especially on Adolescence, represents a model of modern, socially responsive storytelling and a testament to the possibilities that arise when creative professionals collaborate towards a common goal.
