New Netflix show Adolescence has been receiving rave reviews since its release earlier this month. With an impressive 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes, the one-shot crime drama is split into four episodes and follows the story of a couple whose world collapses when their teenage son gets arrested for the murder of a girl from his school.
There are some familiar faces on the cast list. From Boiling Point 's Stephen Graham - who plays Eddie Miller, the father of the 13-year-old boy - to The Crown 's Erin Doherty, who portrays psychologist Briony Ariston. But there are also a few newbies in the cast, including the show's main star, Owen Cooper, who is quickly becoming a global sensation.
Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge , our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.
Here's what we know about Owen Cooper, who plays the main character of Jamie Miller on the show.
What is Owen Cooper's background?
Cooper, 15, is from the north of England - something that connected him and his character on the show, as it was filmed in Yorkshire. "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," he told the Liverpool Echo. Owen is the youngest of three siblings.
In the same interview he admitted he has no idea where he got his acting skills from. "Both of my brothers are electricians and my mum's a carer," he said. "My dad works in IT. So, I've no clue where it comes from."
He's new to acting - literally
It may be hard to believe, given his natural abilities, but Adolescence is Cooper's first acting role - ever. "I only really wanted to start acting a couple of years ago," he told Variety. "It's not been long. I grew up wanting to be a footballer. I don't know what it was that made me want to do it, but I just wanted to do it."
He said that he ended up going to lessons and enjoyed it. After getting into an agency called The Drama Mob, he got a self-tape request for Adolescence . "I sent this tape off, not expecting anything back, then a month later I get a recall in Manchester. It's a whirlwind, to be honest," he told The Mail on Sunday.
He has been getting plenty of praise for his debut role
Since Adolescence aired, critics haven't stopped raving about the youngster's acting skills. "Everyone's been saying such nice things," he told Variety. "My agent has seen it [ Adolescence ] and she said it was really good."
It's not just his agent and the critics who have been singing his praises though. The director was thoroughly impressed with his work too. "He just absolutely blew me away. Actors train for years and years and still can't really master what Owen has mastered, which is basically just being in the moment and listening and being truthful," the show's director Philip Barantini told Variety.
He is set to star in Wuthering Heights - alongside Margot Robbie
Cooper's next project is going to be a big one too. He's set to play a younger version of Jacob Elordi's character of Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell's upcoming adaptation of Emily BrOnte's Wuthering Heights . Margot Robbie will also be in the star-studded production which is slated for release in February 2026.
He is a Liverpool FC fan
Cooper, who once had dreams of becoming a footballer, is a Liverpool FC fan, according to the Liverpool Echo. He said that he is very different from his character in Adolescence . "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," he said.
More Articles from SCMP
ONE 172: Marat Grigorian vows to ‘bring the fire’ against top Japanese kickboxer Kaito Ono
Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage to be celebrated in new annual initiative
DeepSeek forecasts that China will not qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Former Vietnamese surgeon who mutilated his lover receives death penalty
The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.
Copyright © 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.