In a year dominated by the seismic impact of the Netflix limited series Adolescence, one of its most celebrated victories was for a craft often operating in the shadows. At the 2025 Emmy Awards, the show's casting director, Shaheen Baig, took home the prize for Best Casting, a fitting recognition for the woman who unearthed the series' breakout star, Owen Cooper.
The Six-Month Hunt for a Star
Finding the young actor to carry the emotionally harrowing and technically demanding series was no simple feat. Knowing the production would film in Northern England, Baig and her team embarked on a highly targeted, six-month search across five specific cities. "We thoroughly researched those cities," Baig explains. "We created databases. We looked at schools, youth groups, art groups, music groups. We talked to people that ran the clubs."
This grassroots approach involved street casting, handing out flyers, and leveraging social media. The effort yielded an overwhelming 600 audition tapes. The process was meticulous, whittling down candidates through rounds of improvisation and script work until a final five emerged. Baig is quick to note all five were "brilliant" and secured roles, but one young man possessed something extraordinary.
"Owen had this ability to really listen and connect with Stephen [Graham]," she says, highlighting the crucial on-screen chemistry. "But also he wasn't scared of repetition... He had this extraordinary focus for somebody so young. I mean, that's a rare find." Cooper was just 14 during filming, and Adolescence marked his very first acting role.
Casting's Long-Awaited Recognition
Baig's Emmy, which she shyly angled out of her webcam during our interview, symbolises a broader shift. For too long, casting has been the unsung hero of film and television production. "It's a collaboration, but like every other department... a huge amount of work and skill goes into creating a cast," she asserts. "I think it's really great that it's suddenly being recognised."
This recognition is institutionalising. Bafta now includes casting in its awards, and the Oscars will introduce the category from 2026. "It's great that the craft is being finally recognised as an essential element of film-making," Baig continues. "Because it really is. If you don't have the actors, you can't make the thing."
Opening Doors and Changing the Industry
Baig's journey began as a 1990s production assistant, leading to work as an assistant to James Bond casting director Debbie McWilliams before establishing her own company. Throughout, she was conscious of a stark lack of representation. "There weren't really many other people like me," she notes. "Working-class, from Birmingham, mixed race. Even now, it's not really a very representative industry, and that has to change."
This drive for change fuels her work with Open Door, an organisation dedicated to helping talented young actors who lack the financial means to access traditional drama school routes. "Applying for drama school is expensive. Travel to your auditions is expensive," she says. Open Door provides coaching, mentorship, and practical support to break down these barriers.
The initiative is bearing fruit. "I've really noticed a difference," Baig states. "Open Door has been going for nearly 10 years, and I've seen a real change in intake at drama schools. So many of our students have been successful and are working."
With a slate for 2026 that includes Daisy Haggard's thriller Maya, Riz Ahmed's Bait, and the hotly anticipated Peaky Blinders film, Baig shows no signs of slowing down. Yet, her pride in Adolescence and its stars remains palpable. Of Owen Cooper's newfound fame, she remarks with maternal warmth, "He's looking fantastic... He's still got to do his GCSEs, though. That'll bring him down to earth." For Shaheen Baig, spotting genuine, game-changing talent is just part of the job—a job the industry is finally learning to celebrate.
