Bruce Springsteen has commented on Stephen Graham’s portrayal of his late father in the upcoming biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere.
The film, based on Warren Zanes’s acclaimed 2023 book Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska, chronicles the emotionally fraught creation of Springsteen’s 1982 album Nebraska.
Liverpool-born actor Stephen Graham, known for This Is England and Adolescence, takes on the role of Douglas Frederick ‘Dutch’ Springsteen, while The Bear star Jeremy Allen White plays a young Bruce at a career and personal crossroads.
In a recent interview with The Times, Springsteen, 75, spoke sparingly about the project, which is set for an October theatrical release.
But he didn’t hold back his admiration for Graham’s performance, which he experienced with a deep personal resonance.
‘Watching Stephen portray my dad was a little otherworldly, and also quite touching,’ he said.
The music legend has been closely involved with the film, though he admitted stepping away from certain scenes during production due to their emotional intensity.
Earlier this year, Graham revealed how moved he was to receive a text message from Springsteen after a private viewing of the film.
In it, Springsteen reportedly wrote: ‘Thank you so much. You know, my father passed away a while ago and I felt like I saw him today and thank you for giving me that memory.’
The moment was deeply affecting for Graham, 51, who called the message ‘beautiful’ and referred to Springsteen as ‘a working-class hero’ and ‘an icon to thousands, to millions.’
Springsteen has also spoken about his on-set visits, praising Jeremy Allen White for his patience and professionalism during filming.
‘Jeremy was very, very tolerant of me the days that I would appear on the set,’ Springsteen told Rolling Stone earlier this month. ‘I said to him, “Look, anytime I’m in the way, just give me the look and I’m on my way home.”‘
He added with a laugh, ‘It was just fun. It was enjoyable.’
While Springsteen is keeping further details about the film under wraps for now, he is currently promoting Tracks II: The Lost Albums, a new compilation project set to accompany his decades-spanning discography, which includes 21 studio albums, over 300 songs, and 20 Grammy Awards.
As anticipation builds for Deliver Me From Nowhere, it’s clear that, for Springsteen, the project has already delivered something priceless.
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