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Netflix’s sleeper hit Adolescence continues to generate buzz—not just for its gripping take on online incel culture and its bold one-take filmmaking, but also for the breakout performance of 15-year-old Owen Cooper.
A newcomer with no prior acting experience, Cooper shocked audiences with his chilling portrayal of Jamie, a brooding teenager whose arrest for the murder of a classmate sets the intense four-part series in motion. His raw and understated performance has been widely praised, and now Netflix has released his audition tapes, offering a glimpse at the remarkable talent that landed him the role.
Director Phillip Baranti was immediately captivated by Cooper’s ability, telling Variety, “Actors train for years and years and still can’t really master what Owen has mastered.” His co-stars share the same sentiment. Erin Doherty, who plays a pivotal role in Adolescence, called working with Cooper “unreal,” likening him to a veteran actor.
“It felt like working with an actor who had been doing it for 50 years,” Doherty told Glamour UK. “I would 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.”
Even Stephen Graham, Adolescence‘s co-creator and star, compared Cooper’s raw talent to that of Jodie Comer, whom he worked with when she was 17.
“What I saw in Owen was the exact same thing I saw in Jodie Comer when Jodie was 17. I saw the same kind of ability, the same kind of natural talent, and just a real presence. He just blew my mind,” Graham told Vanity Fair.
Cooper’s rise isn’t stopping anytime soon. He’s set to star as young Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell’s upcoming adaptation of Wuthering Heights, alongside Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie. The highly anticipated film is slated for release on February 13, 2026.