The Irishman star Stephen Graham reveals he had depression in his twenties and attempted suicide

Actor said he knows what ‘loneliness’ and ‘isolation’ feel like

The Irishman star Stephen Graham has revealed he suffered from depression in his early twenties and once attempted suicide.

Graham, who is teetotal but played an alcoholic in acclaimed TV drama The Virtues, spoke about how he managed to get in the mindset of a character who was struggling with addiction.

“I really wanted to capture as honestly as possible the decision to take that first drink,” he told The Sunday Times. “Just press the button and go. In my early twenties, I suffered from really bad depression and tried to take my own life once. Thankfully, the rope snapped and I’m here today.”

Graham added: “But I know the loneliness, isolation and feeling you can’t cope in the world, so it wasn’t a big stretch.”

The actor can next be seen in Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman as a mobster alongside Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci.

The Irishman is in cinemas from 8 November and will be available on Netflix from 27 November.

If you are in need of support or guidance, you can call the Samaritans 24/7 helpline for free on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org or visit the Samaritans website to find details of the nearest branch.