Erin Doherty, the Emmy-winning star of Netflix's seismic hit Adolescence, has revealed she initially missed the calls that led to her career-defining role – including those from co-star and producer Stephen Graham.
From Missed Calls to a Netflix Phenomenon
Doherty admits with a laugh that she is "really bad" at answering her phone, a habit that left Graham and his producing partner Hannah Walters sending increasingly urgent voice notes. "I was getting voice notes from him and Hannah being like, 'Erin, pick up your phone!'", she recalls. The calls were about a powerful project Graham wanted to dramatise: the story of a teenage boy radicalised by online misogyny. When Doherty finally called back, she accepted the part of psychologist Briony Ariston on the spot, without even reading the script.
The decision proved to be a monumental one. Since its release on Netflix in March, Adolescence has amassed nearly 150 million views, sparked a national conversation, been shown in schools, and even led to its creators being invited to Downing Street. The series earned Doherty an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress. "We knew we were a part of something that was good and deserved to be seen," she reflects. "From day one, it had that electricity."
The Intensity of a One-Take Drama
Doherty's episode, filmed in a single continuous take like the rest of the four-part series, is a masterclass in tension. She plays a forensic psychologist interviewing a 13-year-old boy accused of murder. To prepare, Doherty drew on her own positive experiences with therapy, aiming to portray a professional with palpable humanity and internal conflict. "Therapists have feelings, and they do battle with their own judgments," she explains. "I wanted her to be struggling with that and a genuine investment in this kid."
The shoot, though dealing with harrowing subject matter, was a positive experience thanks to a collaborative environment fostered by writer Jack Thorne and director Philip Barantini. Rehearsed for two weeks and filmed with just two takes per day to preserve a raw, dangerous energy, the process played to Doherty's strengths honed in theatre. She praises her young co-star, Owen Cooper, for being unfazed by the immense challenge.
A Career Built on Perseverance and Passion
Doherty's path wasn't always straightforward. Growing up in Crawley, she faced initial rejections from drama schools before securing a place at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. She was also a talented footballer, scouted by Chelsea, but has no regrets about choosing acting. "I know I made the right choice," she jokes. "I'd be knackered."
While she became known to millions playing Princess Anne in The Crown, the last year has marked a significant shift. Alongside Adolescence, she starred as a Victorian crime boss in Disney+'s A Thousand Blows and will next lead the BBC drama California Avenue opposite Bill Nighy and Helena Bonham Carter. "Maybe I do feel a little more settled," she says. "That voice [worrying about being fired] is getting quieter."
Inspired by Graham and Walters's production model, Doherty is passionate about developing complex, culturally present stories, particularly queer narratives. She cites her role in the stage play Closing Time, part of the Death of England trilogy, as a challenging but vital experience in telling urgent stories about national identity.
A Defence of Demanding Television
In an era of 'casual viewing' TV designed for distracted audiences, the success of a demanding, real-time drama like Adolescence is significant. Doherty hopes it signals a change. "I hate the idea that [the distraction of phones] is going to be a component in a creative mind. That, to me, is like the death of art," she states emphatically. "People don't want to be spoon-fed and they don't need to be. We're way smarter than a lot of stuff out there thinks we are."
Her hope for the series' legacy is simple: that the conversations it started continue. "The dream is that you reach through the screen and you speak to people," she says. For Erin Doherty, with her Emmy in hand and a slate of compelling projects ahead, that dream is now a resonant reality.
