‘Adolescence' actors and co-creators celebrate their ‘magical' Emmy nods

Los Angeles Times

15-07-2025

The makers behind Netflix's hit drama 'Adolescence,' knew their series about a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a female classmate was something special.
And while creators and executive producers Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne were thrilled after learning that the U.K. drama received 13 Emmy nominations in the limited series category, they were even more gratified that the collective efforts of the cast and crew were being honored.
'There was just something magical that happened with this show, and it was the true definition of an ensemble,' said Graham during a video interview with Thorne. The duo were nominated for writing and producing the drama, and Graham was also nominated as lead actor for his portrayal of the devastated father of the teen suspect.
'My true gratitude is not the fact that we got 13 nominations. It's the fact that every single person, every single player, every single part of the crew is being acknowledged for what we achieved as a collective,' Graham said. 'What we do is not a game of golf. We managed this collective consciousness between us.'
The four-episode series became one of the buzziest dramas of the year, and was highly praised for its approach of filming each installment in a single camera shot.
Thorne said of the hoopla surrounding the series, 'I think we got very lucky in capturing a particular time, place and mood. We also got lucky with all the people we worked with.'
Win or lose, plans are already being formed for an Emmy night celebration.
'Stephen just declared that we're all going to the Emmys in a minibus,' Thorne said. 'We're all going to stand on the red carpet as one. That will be really special.'
The minibus passengers will include Owen Cooper, who played the young suspect, and Erin Doherty, who played a psychologist. The two, who were both nominated in supporting actor categories, starred in the drama's third episode where their characters engaged in a tense battle of wills.
Cooper and Doherty discussed the show and their nominations in a separate video interview.
Congratulations on your nominations and amazing performances. Where were you when you got the news?
Cooper: I was in my living room and I put on the TV. Then I found it we got 13 nominations. It's just crazy.
Doherty: To be fair, I avoided it. So I was waiting for my phone to ring. My agent told me, 'I'll ring you either way.' Then she started phoning me and I thought, 'Oh, what, is this going to me?' And all those nominations came in. I'm so over the moon for the show.
Owen, you're making history as the youngest Primetime Emmy nominee in a limited series .
Cooper: I heard about that the other day. It's hard to even think about that stuff, to be honest. It's crazy. I don't even know how to put that into words, really.
Did both of you know at the time you were doing the third episode that you were creating something really special?
Cooper: Yes. We knew it would hit many homes, and that it would create conversations. We didn't know it would get 13 nominations. That's just the cherry on top. The success of the show has been mind-blowing.
Doherty: We knew everyone who was participating on and off the screen wanted to be a part of this, having the courage to address this subject matter. We knew the importance of the story. You never know if something like this is going to hit the way that this has.
Owen, what impressed you the most about Erin's performance?
Cooper: The fact that she could just think of things to say off the spot. I would put attitude into the line and she would put even more attitude into it.
And Erin?
Doherty: I would say the exact same thing. Like he would start yawning and start throwing around different things. It felt like the most exciting game of tennis that I've been a part of. You don't get that every day with actors who have been doing this for 40 years. Owen has the ability and skill and bravery. For him to throw himself into this environment, which is nerve-wracking, overwhelming and over-stimulating. To have the ability to stay centered and be present with each other is really rare. I'm so, so proud of him and that I got to be there for his first go, because he's going to be doing this for years and years and years.
I know it's early, but any thoughts on how you'll feel on Emmy night?
Cooper: I don't think I'll be nervous. I don't care if I win. I'll just get there, eat nice food, meet a lot of people. And I'll be in L.A. where the weather is nice. I'm not bothered by the result at the end of the day.
Doherty: We've won. The show got 13 nominations. We're all going to be there. It's just going to be the best night ever. We're going to treat it like a big party.