Adolescence star Erin Doherty reveals she ignored Stephen Graham’s calls when he offered her a part in the hit Netflix drama

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I was absolutely shocked to hear this, but apparently Erin Doherty, who I loved as a young Princess Anne in The Crown, actually didn’t recognize Stephen Graham when he tried to offer her a role in a really popular Netflix show! She completely ignored his calls, thinking they were spam or something. Can you believe it? It just goes to show how busy and distracted actors can be, even when a huge opportunity is calling!

The 33-year-old actress, known for playing Briony Ariston, a child psychologist on the show, shared that the 52-year-old actor and writer had trouble reaching her because she doesn’t use technology much.

The show ‘Adolescence’ quickly became a hit, attracting 114 million viewers in its first month and generating a lot of discussion.

Erin almost missed out on the chance to be in the show because she didn’t answer her phone.

In a recent interview, she shared that she’s not very good with technology, explaining, ‘I’m really bad with my phone. I’m a bit of a technophobe, and Stephen was aware of that.’

‘I was getting voice notes from him being like, “Erin, pick up your phone!”‘

She explained to The Guardian that he finally reached out after her girlfriend encouraged her to return Stephen’s call.

Erin went on to say how she said yes on the spot before she even read the script.  

Reflecting on the show’s popularity, the actress admitted she wasn’t sure what to expect next. However, she immediately recognized the project’s potential, saying, ‘You just know when you’re involved in something special that people need to see. It had a unique energy from the very beginning.’

Erin shared that the intense therapy scene with young actor Owen Cooper was completely improvised by the two of them, filmed in one continuous shot.

The actress from Britain shared that she appreciated the 15-year-old actor challenging her to think on her feet. She explained that it helped her truly connect with and become her character, Briony, during that scene.

During a courtroom scene, the actress playing Jamie, Owen Cooper, unexpectedly yawned. The opposing lawyer jokingly said she couldn’t ignore it.

Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar UK, Erin opened up about filming the award-winning Netflix series. 

When asked about Jamie’s unexpected yawn during the courtroom scene, the actress explained that she had fully become the character Briony and reacted naturally as Briony would have.

She explained that she or another woman had confronted him, asking what he was up to. She didn’t want to ignore it and wanted to challenge him, and she was happy she did, as it led to a physical altercation where they ended up wrestling.

Erin described the single-take filming approach for Adolescence as both thrilling and risky.

She explained that there’s always a worry the final edit won’t quite capture your original vision. However, the way they filmed allowed for creative freedom, and it felt thrilling and a little risky.

The four-episode series was highly praised by critics when it launched on the streaming platform in March. It tells the story of a 13-year-old boy who is accused of a schoolgirl’s murder.

The show highlighted how online content influenced teen Jamie Miller’s views on girls, and revealed just how much time teenagers spend on social media during the school day.

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2025-12-23 15:07