Adolescence fans just realising where they’ve seen cast members before | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV

Adolescence fans are realising where they’ve seen some of the key cast members before.

The dark, stylistic four-part mini-series tells the unnerving story of 13-year-old Jamie Miller who murders his classmate, Katie, in an entitled rage brought on partly by her rejection of him.

The teenager’s exposure to toxic masculinity and the dangerous, damaging views of the “manosphere” and incel culture circulating online are a major influence on his warped views on women, fuelling his descent into violence.

The effects of his crime on his family and the wider community are explored, with the rest of the Millers’ lives forever changed by Jamie’s irreversible, cruel and shocking act.

Adolescence doesn’t shy away from the difficult questions, asking who’s responsible for Jamie – and many other young people’s – alarming views on women and their entitlement towards them.

The show’s success is the result of a gritty, realistic script penned by actor Stephen Graham and veteran screenwriter Jack Thorne, as well as a dedicated creative team who offered an off-kilter yet intimate viewing experience by shooting each episode in one continuous take.

The characters are all brought to life with incredibly nuanced performances by a phenomenally talented cast. The series has garnered critical acclaim from critics and viewers alike.

So, where have viewers seen the main cast members before? In a popular TikTok video that’s been viewed 1.2 million times, content creator Perry O’Bree shares the other roles the stars of Adolescence may be best known for.

Stephen Graham

The Liverpool-born actor and writer plays Jamie’s father, Eddie Miller, in Adolescence. Offering a powerhouse performance, Graham’s undeniable and riveting talent on screen is clear from his very first scene, when police burst into his home to arrest his son.

He perfectly captures Eddie’s confusion, heartbreak, anger and regret over the situation, with his emotional breakdown at the show’s conclusion reducing many viewers to tears.

The 51-year-old has appeared in many big name projects and successes, with an impressive CV littered with film and television credits.

Perry listed the roles he’s likely best known for, including playing Combo in This Is England;

Andy in Boiling Point; Tommy in Snatch; Scrum in Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge, though he’s also known for much more.

Erin Doherty

32-year-old Erin Doherty plays therapist Briony Ariston, only appearing in episode three of Adolescence.

In this uneasy and thoroughly gripping instalment of the show, Briony endures a difficult and testing session with Jamie as his outlook on girls, women in general, anger, “what it means to be a man” and more are explored.

The teenager’s violently angry outbursts alongside his cavalier attitude towards Katie and other girls make for uncomfortable viewing, leaving Doherty’s Briony visibly shaken up by their encounter together.

The episode casts a spotlight on the dangerous and damaging attitudes a lot of men and young boys feel towards women.

Previously, Doherty played Princess Anne in The Crown; Mary Carr in A Thousand Blows, which was alongside Stephen Graham; Clare in Reawakening; and more.

Ashley Walters

Actor Ashley Walters offers a sensitive and insightful portrayal of DI Luke Bascombe in Adolescence, juggling the harrowing facts of the crime alongside his own fears as a father to a teenage boy.

He’s the one who presents Jamie with the CCTV footage of him stabbing Katie, seeing the young boy’s violence juxtaposed with his anxiety and panic at having been arrested.

The 42-year-old talent boasts an extensive CV. He played Prince Kabala in Speed Racer; Dushane in Top Boy; Wolf in Stormbreaker; Ricky in Bullet Boy, as well as many more.

Faye Marsay

Middlesbrough-born actor Faye Marsay, 38, plays DS Misha Frank in Adolescence, supporting Walters’ Bascombe in the interrogation of Jamie.

She’s perhaps best known for her stirring turn as The Waif in the smash hit series, Game of Thrones. Opposite fan favourite character Arya, played by Maisie Williams, Marsay ignited much discussion and fan theories, despite only appearing in a few episodes.

She also played Sybil in Darkest Hour and Annie Roberts in Ten Pound Pom.

Adolescence holds an impressive score of 98% on review site, Rotten Tomatoes, and has been lauded for its unflinching insight and interpretation of this tumultuous time for our youth.