In the world of television, few successes in 2025 shone as brightly as the limited series Adolescence. Its triumph at the Emmy Awards in September was near-total, securing top honours for the series itself, its writing, direction, and cinematography. Yet, one of its most crucial victories was for a craft that frequently operates behind the scenes: Best Casting.
The Hunt for a Star: A Six-Month Search
The woman behind that win is casting director Shaheen Baig, whose eye for talent has shaped shows from Peaky Blinders to Sherwood. Her latest and perhaps most celebrated discovery is Owen Cooper, the then-14-year-old novice who delivered the heartbreaking and explosive central performance in Adolescence. Baig's process was anything but simple; it was a meticulously planned, six-month mission.
Knowing the production would film in Northern England, Baig and her team targeted five specific cities. "We thoroughly researched those cities," she 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 extended to street casting and distributing flyers via social media and local networks, a labour-intensive method she believes yields the best results.
This outreach generated a staggering 600 audition tapes. The whittling-down process was gradual and rigorous, moving from initial improvisations to in-person script work. "We got down to five," Baig notes, emphasising that all five final candidates were brilliant and secured roles in the show. But Cooper was singular. "Owen had this ability to really listen and connect... He wasn't scared of repetition," she recalls. "He had this extraordinary focus for somebody so young. I mean, that's a rare find."
Visibility for an Essential Craft
The Emmy win for Adolescence has thrust Baig, a self-described shy workaholic, into a more visible spotlight. She sees this as a positive shift for her profession. "It's a collaboration, but like every other department... a huge amount of work and skill goes into creating a cast," she states. This recognition is growing institutionally, with Bafta now featuring casting awards and the Oscars set to introduce the category next year. "It's great that the craft is being finally recognised as an essential element of film-making," Baig asserts. "Because it really is. If you don't have the actors, you can't make the thing."
Her role, she explains, involves intuitively grasping a director's vision and finding the project's tone through casting. "I want my directors to have the best experience they can with the cast that we've put in front of them," she says, highlighting the collaborative yet service-oriented nature of her work.
Championing Diversity and the Next Generation
Baig's own journey—from a production assistant in the 1990s to an assistant on James Bond films and then founding her own company—has made her acutely aware of the industry's lack of diversity. "There weren't really many other people like me," she says, referencing her working-class, Birmingham, mixed-race background. "Even now, it's not really a very representative industry, and that has to change."
This conviction led her to work with Open Door, an organisation that supports aspiring 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 notes. Open Door works to break down these barriers through mentorship and practical training. Baig has seen tangible results: "I've seen a real change in intake at drama schools. So many of our students have been successful and are working."
Looking ahead, Baig's slate for 2026 remains packed, including Daisy Haggard's thriller Maya, Riz Ahmed's Bait, and the upcoming Peaky Blinders film. Yet, her pride in the Adolescence team is palpable. More than anything, she beams about Owen Cooper's burgeoning career. "He's looking fantastic," she says like a proud parent, before adding with a laugh, "He's still got to do his GCSEs, though. That'll bring him down to earth." For Shaheen Baig, discovering raw, game-changing talent is just part of a day's work—a craft she has mastered and is now helping to redefine.
