15-Year-Old Owen Cooper On His Powerful Performance In Adolescence: ‘One Take. For The Rest Of Our Lives’

Last Updated:March 20, 2025, 18:52 IST

Meet Owen Cooper, the 15-year-old actor who’s stealing the show and winning hearts. Adolescence marks Cooper’s first-ever acting credit. In an interview, he described the intensity of filming a particularly emotional scene.

Netflix has just dropped a new British thriller, Adolescence, and it’s already causing a stir. The show is packed with powerful performances from veteran actors like Stephen Graham, Ashley Walters and Erin Doherty. But there’s one name on everyone’s lips, and it’s not who you might expect. Meet Owen Cooper, the 15-year-old actor who’s stealing the show and winning hearts. Adolescence marks Cooper’s first-ever acting credit and what a debut it is. The four-episode limited series takes us on a rollercoaster ride with a British family whose world is turned upside down.

Their 13-year-old son is accused and arrested for the murder of a teenage girl in his class. It’s a chilling premise that keeps viewers hooked from start to finish.

Cooper’s performance as Jamie Miller is nothing short of extraordinary. He brings depth and authenticity to the role that’s left critics and audiences alike in awe. His portrayal of a shy, terrified boy who unravels under the weight of his circumstances is both heart-wrenching and impressive. It’s the kind of performance that sticks with you long after the credits roll.

In a recent interview with Still Watching Netflix, Cooper and his co-star Erin Doherty opened up about their experiences on set. When asked about his approach to filming, Cooper didn’t hesitate. “If we had a choice, I think we’d both go one take. Always. For the rest of our lives,” he said, with Doherty nodding in agreement.

The reason behind this preference? Cooper explained, “When you’re cutting and stopping, you don’t get that full, raw emotion. You don’t get the build-up.” He went on to describe the intensity of filming a particularly emotional scene. “By that point, you had to explode and I had to explode in my way. Like there’s no other way. And you only get that from being in that for an hour.”

Doherty joined in, recalling a powerful moment during filming. “You really went for it when you left the room that time. Because I remember Phil was like, really like go for it and push back.”

Watch it here:

Cooper’s ability to tap into such deep emotions is all the more impressive considering he was reportedly just 14 years old during filming.

As the show continues to gain traction, Cooper’s star is undoubtedly on the rise. His breakout role in Adolescence is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to see what he does next.

All episodes of Adolescence are now streaming on Netflix.