Owen Cooper Steps Into the Spotlight in Netflix’s Hit Series “Adolescence”
Rising star Owen Cooper, just 15 years old, was thrust out of his comfort zone on the very first day of filming Netflix’s gripping four-part drama Adolescence. Playing Jamie Miller — a 13-year-old boy entangled in the dark world of toxic masculinity and accused of murdering a classmate — Cooper’s performance has already begun generating awards buzz.
The young actor shared that filming Episode 3 first, where Jamie undergoes an intense psychological evaluation with Briony Ariston (played by Erin Doherty), was especially daunting.
“It was very out of my comfort zone, but I was welcomed and felt safe from day one,” Cooper said during an interview with Gold Derby at a For Your Consideration (FYC) event held at the Television Academy Saban Media Center in North Hollywood.
A Demanding Role and a One-Shot Format
Adolescence features a unique continuous one-shot format, intended to keep audiences fully immersed. This challenging technique required every actor to memorize long scripts without interruption — a single mistake meant starting over.
“Learning all the lines was the most challenging part,” Cooper admitted.
He wasn’t alone in feeling the pressure. Co-star Ashley Walters, who plays Detective Inspector Luke Bascome, recalled flubbing a critical scene in Episode 2 when he mistakenly called a character by the wrong name. Despite the mistake, the cast and crew maintained a supportive atmosphere.
A Collaborative and Caring Cast
At the FYC panel, creators Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham (who also plays Jamie’s father, Eddie), along with casting director Shaheen Baig, sound editor James Drake, and composers Aaron May and David Ridley, spoke about the importance of creating a nurturing environment.
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Erin Doherty praised the team’s dedication to storytelling and emotional safety.
“We were such a family from day one… you felt held,” she said.
Owen Cooper also had access to a child psychologist and a tutor during filming, which helped him balance his professional and personal development.
“I’d just go upstairs, play swing ball, and get back into tutoring,” he added.
Life After Adolescence
Since the show premiered in March, Cooper’s life has changed drastically. Returning to school was “chaotic,” and even in his hometown in England, fans now shout his name in public.
Despite their high hopes, creators Thorne and Graham were surprised by the show’s global impact. More than just a hit series, Adolescence has opened meaningful dialogues between parents and teens.
“Talk to your children, listen,” said Graham.
“The best reactions I’ve had are friends telling me they finally had the conversation with their teenager they’d been avoiding for years,” Thorne added.
