Owen Cooper stars as Jamie Miller (Image: NETFLIX)
The compelling Stephen Graham drama, Adolescence, is taking Netflix by storm as it delves into the tumultuous life of the Miller family whose world comes crashing down after son Jamie Miller, portrayed by Owen Cooper, is arrested for a suspected school murder. The real-time storytelling technique, which relies on a one-shot method to capture the unfolding action, plunges viewers into the heart of the family’s struggle as they grapple with every parent’s worst nightmare.
Newcomer Owen Cooper takes on the role of the 15 year old Jamie, bringing with him two years of experience from The Drama Mob theatre group. As his inaugural professional gig, Adolescence represents a significant milestone for Cooper, who recently shared insights into his journey and home dynamics leading up to the series launch.
He was initially convinced he would be playing Jamie’s friend Ryan and was astonished to learn that instead, his breakthrough role was to be the lead. Discussing the challenge of juggling shooting schedules with school commitments, he shared: “We shot some of it during the summer but not all of it. So some of the time I was on my summer break from school. And other times I’d have a tutor on set and I had a great relationship with the teacher so that was fine. In between shots, I’d go straight to work with the tutor.”
A passionate Liverpool FC supporter, Cooper noted distinct differences between himself and his on-screen character, particularly around sports and online activities, saying: “I’d say he’s a lot different to me because stuff that happens online I don’t really get involved with.”
Owen Cooper stars alongside Stephen Graham (Image: NETFLIX)
The young actor contrasted his own active lifestyle with his character’s, admitting: “I don’t think Jamie’s sporty at all, which is the complete opposite to me. I play football for the school team and I play outside of school, too.”
Shot during the summer of 2024, and although he was 14 at the time of filming, he has recently celebrated his 15th birthday. Owen, flanked by two older brothers, Ollie aged 20 and Connor who is 30, found a connection to the series through its Northern setting.
He shared: “The fact that the story was set in the North and it’s a Northern story was the thing that I found most relatable, because I’m also from the North,” adding that it made the experience feel authentic. Filming in Yorkshire had his parents alternating on set, as he explained: “They would swap over sometimes because at the time my mum had an operation so she had to stay home for most of episode three.”
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Owen Cooper behind the scenes with the cast and crew (Image: NETFLIX)
“So my dad would come. And he’d have cans (headphones) on in the back watching it and I’d always go up to him afterwards. So, yeah, my dad would be there most of the time.”
From aspiring footballer to actor, he stumbled into drama classes in Year 7 and hasn’t looked back since, despite humouring over his family’s different career paths: “Both of my brothers are electricians and my mum’s a carer. My dad works in IT. So, I’ve no clue where it comes from.”
Adolescence is airing on