A Thousand Blows actor Stephen Graham had one concern about the on-screen relationship between Sugar and Mary

Prepare to be transported to the 1880s East End of London, in Steven Knight's upcoming British historical drama A Thousand Blows on Disney+. The TV series will delve into a chaotic and gritty world, where daily survival is challenging.

What makes A Thousand Blows even more intriguing is that it's inspired by real-life historical events, focusing on underground bare-knuckle boxing and the brutal criminal world of the time.

At the heart of the drama are two close pals: Hezekiah Moscow and Alec Munroe, who moved from Jamaica to London, hoping to build a new life. However, little did they know about one of the most unforgiving and violent places in East End, and must quickly adapt to survive.

The TV series features acclaimed actor Stephen Graham in the role of Sugar Goodson, a powerful veteran boxer who rules the East End fighting scene. Since the drama is fast approaching its release date, the actor shared his experience and a major concern in an interview.

Stephen Graham explained that he wanted to be mindful of how Sugar's relationship with Erin Doherty's Mary came across. Since the actress is nearly 20 years younger than Graham in real life, the actor didn't want it to look inappropriate.

Continue reading to learn what did Stephen Graham say about his role.

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Stephen Graham's major concern while filming A Thousand Blows revealed

Despite having significant experience in boxing, Stephen Graham had a few concerns while filming A Thousand Blows. As mentioned above, one thing he was extremely mindful of was the on-screen relationship between him and Erin Doherty.

In his interview (via RadioTimes), the actor explained:

"I’ll try and choose the word correctly, I didn’t want it to appear ‘noncey’. Erin and I spoke a lot about the complexities of that relationship because Mary is a lot younger than Sugar. You have to make sure it’s not like that, try to make it a complex love."

Graham continued:

"Sugar also has this self-deprecating feeling that he doesn’t really deserve love. For him, she’s like a beautiful bird that he feels he’s captured, but he doesn’t want to."

Stephen Graham didn't want Sugar and Mary's relationship to look inappropriate or odd. Instead, he aimed to highlight their deep and emotionally complex dynamic.

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A Thousand Blows will arrive on Friday, February 21, 2025, on Disney+

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