Erin Doherty has steadily built a reputation for thoughtful, layered performances. After early acclaim in “The Crown” and her lead turn in “Chloe,” she now finds herself nominated for an Emmy for her work in Episode Three of Netflix’s surprise hit “Adolescence.” The nomination recognizes not only her craft but also the series’ bold structure and unflinching subject matter, which have made it one of the most talked about dramas of the year.
“Adolescence” tells the story of how the Miller family’s world is upended when 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is arrested for the murder of a girl from his school. The series examines toxic masculinity and the influence of social media on young men, exploring how violence reverberates across a family and community. Stephen Graham plays Eddie Miller, Jamie’s father, while Christina Tremarco portrays his mother, Manda Miller, and Amelie Pease appears as his sister, Lisa. Ashley Walters stars as Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe, and Faye Marsay joins the ensemble as Detective Sergeant Misha Frank. Created by Graham and award-winning writer Jack Thorne and directed by Philip Barantini, who previously collaborated with Graham on the BAFTA- and BIFA-nominated “Boiling Point,” the series unfolds across four episodes, each told in a single continuous take — a stylistic choice that heightens urgency and intimacy.
Episode Three, the hour-long therapy session between Jamie and clinical psychologist Briony Ariston (Doherty), is the most daring and unforgettable of the four. The episode unfolds as a fragile, shifting dynamic between a boy accused of violence and the professional charged with reaching him, and it builds into something that feels both uncomfortable and mesmerizing. It was also the first installment filmed, meaning the therapy session was Owen Cooper’s very first scene on a professional set. Much credit belongs to Doherty, whose presence gave Cooper the confidence to deliver a raw, unguarded performance and whose experience anchored the exchange so the episode could achieve its extraordinary impact. The experience of watching it unfold in real time was emotional, unsettling, and unlike any other hour of television in recent memory. That feeling is only magnified when you realize it was Cooper’s debut, matched by Doherty’s equally commanding turn.
Reflecting on the rare two weeks of rehearsal she and Cooper shared, Doherty said, “There are two things happening in that episode — there’s the script, but there’s also me and Owen underneath it as actors holding each other. Those two weeks were about creating that genuine camaraderie, knowing that whatever happens, because there are so many opportunities for it to go wrong, we had each other’s backs.”
Critics have embraced “Adolescence” as one of the year’s defining works, with comparisons to “Baby Reindeer” for the way it arrived without fanfare and quickly commanded the cultural conversation. With 13 Emmy nominations, the series has already established itself as a frontrunner, recognized both for its performances and its daring one-shot format, but also for how it forces audiences to confront uncomfortable truths. “For me, what this show proves is that we don’t necessarily want what platforms think we want,” Doherty said. “We want to have the hard conversations.”
Erin Doherty spoke to Awards Focus about her reaction to the Emmy nomination, the responsibility of portraying a therapist with authenticity, and her collaborative process with Owen Cooper in shaping one of the season’s most powerful episodes.
Awards Focus: It’s lovely to speak with you. Congratulations on your nomination. What was your initial reaction when you found out, and how did you first hear the news?
Erin Doherty: The nominations came out the day before my birthday, so I was actually baking a cake at the time. I chose to do that to ease my anxiety and take my mind off it. I’m still a little bit mind blown by the whole thing, and just really grateful. I’m chuffed for the show. I don’t think anyone anticipated 13 nominations, so that’s pretty great.
AF: Let’s talk about the show’s reception. “Adolescence” premiered in March, and while you had worked with Steven before, did you have a sense during production that it was going to resonate the way it has? Or has the response taken you by surprise?
Doherty: I don’t think any of us anticipated that it would be as culturally embraced as it has been. But I think that’s a marker of where we’re at, and the fact that we’re ready to have this conversation. When we were making it, it felt like such a pure little nugget in Leeds. It was so specific that I couldn’t have anticipated it having this reach. That makes it even more special because it was made with such love and purity. The fact that it’s been received so openly truly is the best thing in the world.
AF: Beyond working with collaborators you’ve known, what drew you personally to the role? Was it the subject matter, portraying a psychotherapist working with children, that was most exciting to you?
Doherty: I’m a huge advocate for therapy. I had it in the past, but wasn’t in it when I started prepping for this role. I felt like I was in a good enough position to reach out to my old therapist, which was really important to me. I wanted to do that justice, because I have so much respect and admiration for what they do. I didn’t want to be the cliché armored therapist at the table with a kid. I wanted the audience to see everything she was feeling, because therapists are human beings. That was the real draw for me, along with wanting to engage in the conversation about social media. I find the whole thing terrifying — I have no idea how to navigate it myself. Thinking about our younger generation going through that made me want to be part of the conversation.
AF: Netflix often launches shows with little promotion. “Adolescence” seemed to come out of nowhere and find its audience organically. Why do you think it connected so powerfully with viewers?
Doherty: Honestly, it’s a testament to viewers and to humanity — our ability to reach out for these stories. The success of the show proves that audiences are smarter than we give them credit for. We don’t want to be spoon fed. We want the hard conversations. Yes, there’s space for the mindless TV shows out there, and I enjoy a lot of them, but this show proves we don’t necessarily want what platforms think we want. We’ll seek out meaningful stories, and those stories are being made. It’s a little homage to the Indies out there.
AF: Episode Three feels like an hour of television I’ve never seen before. How did you prepare for that intense two-hander with Owen Cooper, especially given how emotionally raw and prolonged the scene is?
Doherty: For me it was about getting off book. Going into rehearsals, I felt safe because we were lucky enough to have two weeks — unheard of. But I had no idea who they were going to cast as the boy, and that was my biggest source of nerves. The minute I met Owen, I felt calmed. He could have been overwhelmed, but he took it in stride and was off book on day one. That allowed us to jump off the cliff together and build a bond. There are two things happening in that episode — the script, and me and Owen as actors holding each other. Those two weeks were about creating that genuine camaraderie, knowing we had each other’s backs. You don’t always get that with seasoned professionals, so I was overwhelmed with gratitude. That paved the way for something so dangerous to unfold in that room. We knew the lines, and then all we had to do was trust each other, trust the text, and get out of our own way.
AF: I understand you filmed two takes a day over several days, and it’s the final take we see on screen. Over that time, how did your understanding of Briony evolve from the first day to the last?
Doherty: A really odd thing was happening. In hindsight I can see it, but at the time I couldn’t have told you. We were entering this strange embryonic state in that room. The subject matter was suffocating, and the choreography of us at the table while the camera and sound crew revolved around us created this hypnotic experience. I genuinely couldn’t tell you what happened in any specific take. Me and Owen would come out of the room asking each other, “How was that for you?” and we never really knew. We went off a feeling. The take they chose had the yawn, which had never happened before. Other times, technical things went wrong — the hot chocolate spilled, or I had to linger outside the room longer. But moment to moment, it’s hard to grasp. We had to wipe the slate clean every time and start again.
AF: You mentioned the yawn leading to that amazing spontaneous line, “Am I boring you?” In scenes that long and intense, audiences see the emotion, but what’s something less obvious that makes shooting this kind of scene especially demanding?
Doherty: The challenge was being brave. So much of screen work is about control — stopping, doing another line, adjusting the light. This wasn’t that. If something went wrong, you had to roll with it. It was like doing a play on screen, which I loved, because I grew up in the theater. That mindset gave me freedom. Technically, though, it was hard. At one point during rehearsals they had to pull up and replace the floor for sound reasons. It was a nightmare logistically. My absolute respect goes to everyone behind the camera for pulling it off.