Adolescence star Owen Cooper's audition tape leaves Netflix viewers stunned
25 March 2025, 15:29 | Updated: 25 March 2025, 16:14
Newcomer Owen Cooper has never acted professionally and had never been on a real set before starring in the Netflix show.
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Need even more proof that Adolescence's Owen Cooper is a certified star? Netflix have just released his audition tapes and they're incredible.
In case you don't know, Owen Cooper (who plays Jamie Miller in the show) had never acted professionally before starring in Adolescence. Episode 3, the intense two-hander between him and Erin Doherty's clinical psychologist Briony, was literally the first time he had EVER (!) stepped foot on a set.
Owen's performance has been praised by critics, co-stars and viewers alike and the footage of his audition proves just how much of a natural he is.
The audition tape shows Owen performing scenes from Jamie's police investigation as well as an intense moment from episode 3.
- Read more: Adolescence star reveals genius episode 3 'improvised' moment that wasn't in script
- Read more: Is there more episodes of Adolescence? Here's why it's only 4 episodes long
Netflix release Owen Cooper’s audition tapes for Adolescence
Owen was amongst a huge group of boys who auditioned for the show but he didn't actually audition for Jamie – he auditioned for Jamie's friend Ryan.
He sent a self-tape to the producers and was then invited to an in-person audition in Manchester but he was still under the impression that he was in the running for a supporting part.
"I’d been asleep in the car before we arrived and I’d only just woken up," Owen told The Mirror. "I was on a different planet and just thought, 'This is mad!'."
Reacting to Owen's audition tape, one viewer wrote: "What a star. He has no idea just how good he is. It's clear he's going to have a huge career in acting. Such a wonderful raw and natural talent."
Another added: "He’s a super talented boy. That was a great audition tape. Can’t believe this is his first proper performance."
"He is gonna watch this in 10 years and be so proud of what he achieved," a third said.
In an interview with Tudum, Stephen Graham revealed that he knew Owen was Jamie as soon as his audition was over. He said: "When he left the room, I turned around to Phil and Jack and said, 'I think that's him.'"
Speaking about his process on screen, co-creator Jack Thorne added: "He wasn’t acting. Owen was working out his own way through it. But it felt like that capability was in him right from the start. Owen just needed to work out how to harness that monster inside of Jamie. And then once he harnessed that monster, there was no stopping him."
Read more about Adolescence here:
- Adolescence's devastating Stephen Graham teddy bear scene was completely unscripted
- Netflix's Adolescence includes devastating hidden detail in final song
- Is Netflix's Adolescence a true story? Tragic real life inspiration revealed
- Is Adolescence filmed in one take? How episode 2's drone shot was filmed
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