Meet The Homegrown Casting Director Who Picked The Stars Of Netflix's ‘Adolescence’

Netflix UK’s latest show, ‘Adolescence’ has caught the world’s eye with its daring portrayal of the dire impacts of online misogyny on young boys today. The show follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller, played by child actor Owen Cooper, who is arrested for the murder of a classmate. Cooper’s stunning performance walks the line between cold-blooded killer and young schoolboy, launching the 15-year-old actor into stardom with his breakout role. His performance has achieved immense critical acclaim, with predictions that Cooper may not just be nominated for, but win, at prestigious award shows like the Emmys in the year to come.

As the world focuses its attention on Owen Cooper and the other incredible actors in ‘Adolescence,’ we want to take a moment to spotlight the casting director who made his iconic on-screen debut happen. Shaheen Baig is a London-based, BAFTA-nominated casting director. Though you may not have heard her name before, Baig was the casting director for projects like Black Mirror, Peaky Blinders, and several other of the best performances to have graced our screens over the past two decades. Her eye for talent is a talent in and of itself.

Baig started her career as a production assistant before discovering her love for casting. After working alongside some of the world’s leading casting directors, Baig started an agency of her own in 2002. The Pakistani-British director told Primetime that the beginnings of her career were paved with difficulty. As a young creative, Baig struggled to make ends meet and was pushed to work part-time jobs while trying to get her agency off the ground. Today, she’s a powerful force in the British film and television industry; she’s the person who finds our next favourite performers, the one who makes budding actors’ dreams come true. 

As a South Asian woman from a working-class background, Baig knows better than anyone that with great power comes great responsibility. Outside of her work as a casting director, Baig is a trustee for Open Door, a non-profit that makes acting training and theatre education more accessible to young actors who need financial assistance. She is also the co-founder of the National Film and Television School’s Casting Assistant Certificate, where she trains her students to champion inclusive industry practices. 

Too often, we forget the crucial people working behind the scenes to make movie magic happen. Representation is necessary on-screen and off and we’re proud to see a South Asian woman transforming the industry, one hit show at a time. 

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