Amazing Grace success thanks to sliding into Hannah Walters DMs, says writer

The star and writer of a new independent film set in Liverpool has said the project would never have happened if he had not sent a "cheeky Instagram message" to Adolescence actor Hannah Walters.

Daniel P. Lewis said he wrote Amazing Grace with Walters in mind and that "it had to be her" for the title role. He described the moment she agreed to take part as a "pinch-me moment".

The film tells the story of Walter, a man on the brink of a mental health breakdown, who forms an unexpected bond with Grace, a volunteer on a crisis helpline.

Lewis said the low-budget production was only possible because Walters helped attract other talent, including James Nelson-Joyce, Sonny Walker, Chanel Cresswell and television director Ruth Carney.

Lewis, who described himself as a "people-watcher", said the story was ultimately "a story of hope and human connection", inspired by his large family and 13 years spent working on the doors around Liverpool.

He said the catalyst for Amazing Grace was seeing bodycam footage posted online of a police officer going to check on a truck driver who had pulled over.

"He [the truck driver] was in a state. He was crying and helpless. The officer realised he needed help and gave him a hug.

Lewis said when he wrote the script he created a vision board for the film, and Walters' picture was on it for the character of Grace.

The self-confessed film buff said he realised he wanted to be an actor after watching This Is England, which Walters starred in.

He enjoyed success with a short film he wrote and acted in called Thomas in 2016, inspired by his late cousin, who had cerebral palsy, and followed it up with Our Kid in 2023, which he wrote and starred in alongside Ricky Tomlinson, Leanne Best, John McArdle and the late Jake Abraham.

Despite that success, he admitted it was a "huge risk" for Walters to take on the project with a relative newcomer at the helm.

Fortunately, Walters said it was a "no-brainer" for her to get involved.

She told the BBC: "The second I read it I was just blown away by the content, by the characters, by the story and its authenticity."

Lewis said that after Walters joined the cast, it "snowballed from there", as she opened the door to other Liverpool talent, including This City Is Ours actor James Nelson-Joyce, Sonny Walker, who starred in Channel 4's The Gathering, and Chanel Cresswell, who appeared in Netflix's The Gentlemen.

Working on a shoestring budget, Lewis said he was grateful to the creative community in Liverpool for "pulling out all the stops" to get the film shot in just 11 days, thanks to help from local media students in the crew and people offering up film locations for free.

"I pulled in so many favours," he said. "I'm so grateful people believed in the film that much."

Joking about the budget, Walters said: "This film was made on a ridiculously low budget - I mean a bag of crisps and a cuddle," she said.

The star and executive producer of the BAFTA winning Adolescence is known for her work to help emerging talent in TV and film.

Together with her husband, Emmy-winning actor Stephen Graham, Walters set up Matriarch Productions to provide a platform for underrepresented voices and stories in the entertainment industry.

She said what the team had achieved with the film, which is showing in cinemas across the UK, was "truly wonderful" and a "testament to Daniel's script".

"It is a very emotive subject, but it also has a beautiful lightness and hope."

Lewis said he had been "overwhelmed" by the response to the film, particularly from people saying it had inspired them to speak out about their mental health, as well as praise from the Samaritans, which supports people in crisis.

"If this film could save a life, I would say it's job done," he said.

Amazing Grace was released in UK cinemas on 6 November.

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