‘He’s just unreal’: Everything the Adolescence cast have said about Owen Cooper’s performance

Adolescence has been a huge hit for Netflix, with the limited series getting universal acclaim. Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne struck gold writing the harrowing story of a very real everyday family whose lives get upended when their 13-year-old son Jamie is arrested for the murder of a female classmate. Whilst all the performances in the show are truly amazing, heightened due to director Philip Barantini shooting the four episodes in one take, the newcomer Owen Cooper playing Jamie has blown everyone away. Adolescence on Netflix is the first professional role Owen Cooper has ever undertaken, and now he’s got big things lined up. It’s not just the world praising Owen Cooper, though – here’s what all his Adolescence on Netflix co-star cast have said about him.

Stephen Graham

Because Stephen Graham not only starred in Adolescence, but wrote it too – he is classed as a co-creator. With that role came a lot of responsibility in casting, and he was integral to Owen Cooper getting the part. He’s even compared Owen Cooper to another iconic British talent.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Stephen Graham said “There was just a piece of magic within. I don’t mean this to sound trite, but you try and catch lightning in a bottle.”

“We were just in the moment of something, and he looked at me in a certain way. And what I saw in Owen was the exact same thing I saw in Jodie Comer when Jodie was 17.” Stephen added: “I saw the same kind of ability, the same kind of natural talent, and just a real presence.”

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He also hooked Owen Cooper up with his own agent, and that’s how Cooper is going on to star in big things like Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights!

Ashley Walters

Ashley Walters has gone as far as to say that Owen Cooper out of all the cast of Adolescence on Netflix is the one responsible for saving his own acting career, and reigniting his passion. Which is wild when you realise how good of an actor Walters is, that Cooper could inspire him so much.

Walters said: “It totally revived acting. For me, there was a light that was slowly dying inside of me, and coming on set and watching Owen reminded me of what acting is all about. It’s because he was so pure, and, you know, that’s why he could go and play swingball after takes through and stuff.

“We take it so seriously, you know, over the years, it just powers on. And you’re thinking about the craft all the time, and what’s your next job, and what’s this, and what’s that. And Owen just kind of comes and is just so casual about. You remember the moments of watching your kids play with toys in the corner, and just being so free, and they believe in whatever they’re doing?

“That’s where we’re all trying to get to, you know, working with these kids, that’s what they have the ability to do. And, you know, Owen was, I was watching him in awe most of the time. Like, how the hell is he doing this? Like, how is how is it happening this magic. But you know, he’s just a very skilled actor, and I hope he goes on to great things.”

Erin Doherty

Erin Doherty had the pleasure of sharing the very intense (and very acclaimed) episode three of Adolescence with Owen Cooper, and of all the Netflix cast of the show it’s she who really felt the full force of his range. She has gushed over working with him.

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“His age never came into it, and the fact it’s his first job never came into it,” She explained. “It felt like working with an actor who’d been doing it for 50 years. Like, he’s just unreal. I’d work with him for the rest of my days if I could. I felt so supported by him – as I hope he did by me.

“I never felt like I was carrying any weight or dragging him through. It was just completely 50/50 and that is, with any actor, an absolute gift. And you can’t really take that light from him. He made it so easy.”

Adolescence is on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. 

Featured image credit: Netflix