23 December 2025
Erin Doherty fears phones can lead to “the death of art”.
Erin Doherty starred in Adolescence
The 33-year-old actress is not a fan of Netflix’s “casual viewing” genre – shows where the makers are aware those watching are not likely to be giving things their full attention – so hopes her own intense mini series Adolescence “flies the flag” for showing audiences still want to be engaged and challenged by what they are seeing.
She told The Guardian newspaper: “I hate the idea that [the distraction of phones] is going to be a component in a creative mind. That, to me, is like the death of art.
“So yes, I hope this flies the flag for having faith in our audiences.
“People don’t want to be spoon-fed and they don’t need to be. We’re way smarter than a lot of stuff out there thinks we are.”
Several months after the release of Adolescence, Erin hopes the hard-hitting drama continues to spark conversation.
She said: “I hope that it continues to be talked about.
“Without being a wanky actor, the dream is that you reach through the screen and you speak to people, and so I hope that people keep going back to it, and keep having those conversations.”
The British star insisted she had no idea the show, which has had almost 150 million views and been screened in secondary schools, would be such a “phenomenon” but she was aware immediately that it “deserved to be seen”.
Asked if those involved with Adolescence knew it would become such a phenomenon, she said: “No, and I’m not sure you’re supposed to.
“But you do know when you’re a part of something that’s good and deserves to be seen, and we knew that about it. I think because it came from such a genuine place, a place of real purity and rawness, it [fed into] the making of it. From day one, it had that electricity.”
Erin plays a therapist in the show and consulted her own former counsellor as part of her preparation.
She said: “I’m such a big advocate for therapy. I’d had years of admiration for this way of communicating.”
The Crown actress noted therapists are often just on screen to further the plot and reveal insights about the main character, so she was pleased her character showed more of herself.
She said: “I think there’s so much more to them. They’re so skilled to operate between these layers that are going on in any exchange. I wanted to bring that level of humanity to her.
“It was interesting to me to put that friction on screen, because otherwise, it’s just one kid in a room, up against this armoured being.
“Therapists have feelings, and they do battle with their own judgments, so I wanted her to be struggling with that and a genuine investment in this kid.”
