Behind The Scenes On Casting For Adolescence
In just four powerful hour-long episodes, Netflix’s global sensation Adolescence ignited conversations everywhere, from living rooms and classrooms to parliament, amassing a record-breaking 96.7 million views within just three weeks of its release.
Crucially, the series also shines a spotlight on the rising talent coming out of the National Film and Television School (NFTS). Two NFTS Casting Certificate graduates, Leila Ali and Connor Williams, were part of the casting team led by renowned Casting Director Shaheen Baig (Black Mirror, Peaky Blinders), helping to discover and elevate the show’s remarkable ensemble.
Created by Jack Thorne and starring Stephen Graham, the psychological drama follows a working-class Yorkshire family grappling with the sudden arrest of their 13-year-old son, accused of murdering a female classmate.
The reach and impact of Adolescence is due in no small part to its extraordinary cast, featuring established stars like Stephen Graham (Eddie Miller), Erin Doherty (Briony Ariston), and Ashley Walters (DI Luke Bascombe), alongside breakout performances from emerging British actors Owen Cooper (Jamie Miller) and Amélie Pease (Lisa Miller).
The NFTS caught up with Leila Ali to learn more about the casting process and the experience of working on such a high-profile project.
“I'm honestly blown away and quite overwhelmed by Adolescence - the show itself, the reach it’s had and the amazing response it's received.”
Finding fresh Yorkshire-based talent was key to the production so the casting team held an open casting call, including seeing over 400 young boys just to cast Jamie. “I’m really proud and grateful to have been involved, helping out with the open casting call alongside Shaheen Baig and her brilliant team - flyering across my home county of Yorkshire and connecting with young people, parents, schools, and community groups.
Knowing that some of the talented young cast came directly through that open call is such a great feeling - and it's a testament to how thorough and meaningful the process was. Making sure the flyer reached as many young people as possible from all walks of life was really important to the team, and it also meant a lot to me personally. Being from a mixed, working-class background in South Yorkshire, I know how important these kinds of opportunities are.”
Leila graduated from the NFTS Casting Certificate in 2021, a 24-week, part-time course delivered online and in person by Course Leader Jane Arnell and industry professionals including Shaheen Baig and Jina Jay; “All the research and prep we did beforehand made a huge difference - my experience with research documents and learning about street casting from industry professionals during my time on the NFTS Casting course definitely helped!”
Reflecting on her journey so far Leila said; “I’m thrilled to have been part of a production led by such talented, diverse regional voices - many of whom have already played a big role in shaping my taste and journey into the industry. If my involvement in this amazing project helped even one person find their way into something creative, I’m buzzing!”
NFTS alumni involvement in Adolescence extends beyond just the Casting department with 7 alumni working across departments including sound and visual effects.
- See the full list of NFTS Adolescence Alumni
First Assistant Sound Ashley Sinani, Kyle Pickford
Sound Effects Editor Raoul Brand
Sound Maintenance Chi Limpiroj
Visual Effects Executive Producer: Absolute Danny Duke
Casting Assistants Leila Ali, Connor Williams
We couldn’t be more proud of our alumni who work hard behind the scenes to bring important work like this to screens.
If you’re interested in applying for the NFTS Casting Certificate find out more at or register today for one of our upcoming Open Evenings...
nfts.co.uk/casting
- Book your free place now!
12 May | BFI Stephen Street | 6-8pm
https://nfts.co.uk/event/casting-open-evening-bfi-stephen-street13 May | Brixton House London | 6-8pm
https://nfts.co.uk/event/casting-open-evening-brixton-house-022 May | NFTS Leeds | 6-8pm
https://nfts.co.uk/event/casting-open-evening-nfts-leeds23 May | Sheffield Showroom | 6-8pm
https://nfts.co.uk/event/casting-open-evening-sheffield-showroom
Apply by 29 May to start September 2025.