Adolescence Cast And Character Guide

“Adolescence” came out a month ago and launched careers in the process. All eyes are on the cast — especially Owen Cooper, who captivates and alarms as a 13-year-old accused of killing his classmate.

Featuring exceptional performances from a variety of actors, the series explores themes of toxic masculinity, incel culture and the effect of social media on teens’ development.

While it’s not based on a true story, co-creator Stephen Graham said the series was inspired by a headline he saw of about a “young boy (allegedly) stabbed a girl,” he told Netflix’s press site Tudum.

He wanted to explore the question:“What is happening to our young men these days and what are the pressures they face from their peers, from the internet and from social media?”

Meet the cast below.

Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller

Who’s Stephen? In addition to creating “Adolescence,” Stephen’s career began with his roles in “Snatch” (2000) and “Gangs of New York” (2002). In 2006, he was cast in his breakout role, “This is England.” He has also acted in television shows such as “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011), “The Irishman” (2019), “Boardwalk Empire” (2010-2014), “Time” (2021) and “Peaky Blinders” (2022). He’s playing Bruce Springsteen’s dad in the upcoming biopic “Deliver Me From Nowhere.”

Who’s Eddie? Eddie is introduced to the audience as Jamie’s father. Throughout the investigation, Eddie tries to wrap his head around what has happened. Despite his son’s actions, Eddie is portrayed as a good father. “I wanted to eliminate the possibility of thinking Eddie is a violent man,” Graham told Netflix’s press site Tudum. “(He may not be) overly tender and doesn’t tell his boy he loves him constantly.” But is “a hardworking father who goes to work early in the morning, comes back late at night, and puts food on the table. Eddie brings in as much love as he can. He does to the best of his ability.” 

Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller

Who’s Owen? The 15-year-old English actor’s first-ever professional role is “Adolescence.” Before the series, Owen pursued acting as a hobby and never considered doing it full time. Now, he is set to play Young Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” (2026) alongside Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.

Who’s Jamie? Jamie is the protagonist of “Adolescence,” who has been accused of stabbing his classmate, Katie, to death. Jamie is a deeply complex and troubled character, and the series focuses on the unraveling of his psyche. 

Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston

Who’s Erin? A two-time SAG-winning actor, Erin is known for her roles as young Princess Anne in “The Crown.” She also co-starred with Miller in the drama “A Thousand Blows.”

Who’s Briony? Briony is the clinical psychologist who is assigned to Jamie’s case. Her first appearance in the series is in episode 3, where she interviews Jamie to create a mental health report ahead of his trial. She wants to determine if he could be found legally innocent. “I had to attack the episode as a child psychologist would. Her goal is, ultimately, to get an answer,” Doherty told Netflix. “Briony needs to be able to go to the higher-ups and give them a genuine assessment of what she believes about Jamie.” 

Ashley Walters as DI Luke Bascombe

Who is Ashley? Aside from “Adolescence,” Ashley is known for his performance as Dushane in the crime drama “Top Boy” (2011-23). He also appeared in “Bullet Boy” (2004), “Stormbreaker” (2006), “Speed Racer” (2008), “Bulletproof” (2018-21) and “Missing You” (2025). Aside from acting, Ashley is a rapper in So Solid Crew, famous for their hit song “21 Seconds.”

Who is Luke? A detective inspector, Luke is the lead detective in the murder investigation. Bascombe’s son, who goes to the same school as Jamie, provides his father with a clue to uncover Jamie’s motive for the crime.

Faye Marsay as DS Misha Frank

Who is Faye? The “Game of Thrones” star has also appeared in “Pride” (2014), “Darkest Hour” (2017), “Andor” (2025-25) and “Ten Pound Poms” (2023-25). 

Who is Misha? Misha is DI Bascombe’s partner, and interviews Jamie in the first two episodes of “Adolescence.”

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