Tina O’Brien Criticizes ‘Elitism’ in TV Industry Over Owen Cooper’s Role in ‘Adolescence’

A well-known Coronation Street star, Tina O’Brien, has strongly criticized elitism in the television industry after revealing her connection to adolescent star Owen Cooper.

The Netflix series has become a hit, particularly for its powerful portrayal of knife crime in the UK. At the heart of the story is Jamie Miller, a teenager accused of stabbing his classmate to death.

Jamie’s role marks Owen Cooper’s first professional screen role. Before this, he was a student at The Drama MOB, a drama school co-founded by Tina O’Brien.

Owen had attended a school in the North of England, where he honed his skills. Tina, who began acting as a teenager, recalled her first TV role as Claire in Children’s Ward, a show that launched her career.

In an Instagram post, Tina responded to claims suggesting that Owen had no prior acting experience before landing his role in Adolescence.

She slammed the elitist mentality directed at actors trained in the North of England, highlighting how often talent from this region is overlooked.

Tina shared a post from actor Rico Morris, who credited The Drama MOB for helping build Owen’s talent.

Tina’s words read, “Elitist mentality that anything in the North isn’t worth mentioning.

Thank you for highlighting this, Rico.” She expressed gratitude for the recognition, emphasizing the school’s dedication and tireless work. Tina’s comments called attention to the underappreciation of Northern training in the acting industry.

In response to Tina’s remarks, thee Drama MOB also supported Owen, praising his performance in Adolescence.

The school released reviews of his role and wrote: “We are beyond proud of Owen for smashing this role and tackling such a challenging and sensitive subject.” They also acknowledged Owen’s achievement of securing such a significant role and noted that his performance exceeded expectations.

Tina’s connection to The Drama MOB extends beyond her founding role. She has also been portraying Sarah Platt on Coronation Street since 1999.

Throughout her time on the show, she has participated in several major storylines, addressing significant issues such as teenage pregnancy and post-partum psychosis.