Last updated on the 9 August 2024 by Maeve

Mini Biography

Born: 27 December 1993, Oldham, England. 

Olivia Cooke grew up in a family of non-actors; her father, John Cooke, was a retired police officer and her mother, Lindsay Wilde, worked as a sales representative. Olivia’s parents divorced when she was a child and she and her sister lived with their mother. From a young age, Olivia showed a keen interest in the performing arts. She began acting at the age of eight at the Oldham Theatre Workshop, an after-school drama program in her hometown.

Cooke attended Royton and Crompton Academy and later studied drama at Oldham Sixth Form College. However, she left before completing her A-levels to pursue her acting career. Despite her agent’s advice against enrolling in drama school, Olivia was determined to apply to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Although she made it to the final round of auditions, she was not accepted.

Cooke’s career began to take off in 2012 when she landed roles in three BBC mini-series: “Blackout,” “The Secret of Crickley Hall,” and “The Quiet Ones.” Her performance in these series caught the attention of casting directors and she soon secured an agent in Los Angeles. Olivia’s breakthrough role came when she was cast as Emma Decody in the A&E series “Bates Motel,” a contemporary prequel to Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho.”

In addition to her television success, Olivia has made a significant impact in the film industry. She starred in the horror film “Ouija” (2014), the comedy-drama “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” (2015), and the thriller “Thoroughbreds” (2017). One of her most notable roles was as Art3mis in Steven Spielberg’s science fiction film “Ready Player One” (2018).

Cooke’s versatility as an actress has allowed her to take on a wide range of roles, from period dramas like “The Limehouse Golem” (2016) and “Vanity Fair” (2018) to modern thrillers like “Pixie” (2020) and the critically acclaimed drama “Sound of Metal” (2020).

In 2022 Olivia Cooke took the role of Queen Alicent Hightower in “House of the Dragon”, a character known for her political acumen and complex relationships within the royal court

Despite her busy career, Cooke has managed to keep her personal life relatively private. She has been linked to several actors, including her “Pixie” co-star Ben Hardy and Welsh actor Jacob Ifan. However, Olivia prefers to keep her relationships out of the public eye. She has also been open about the challenges she faced early in her career, including the loneliness of moving between jobs in the U.S. and her home in England.

Suggested viewing

House of the Dragon (2022)

Bftv 9.0  / IMDb 8.5

In a realm of dragons and dynasties, House Targaryen rises to power amidst political intrigue and familial conflict. As the kingdom teeters on the brink of chaos, rivalries ignite and ancient secrets resurface, leading to a fiery clash that will shape the fate of Westeros.

Top cast: Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Rhys Ifans, Graham McTavish, Jefferson Hall, Fabien Frankel, Bill Paterson.

Vanity Fair (2018)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 7.3

In the backdrop of 19th-century England, Becky Sharp, a cunning and resourceful young woman from humble origins, navigates the social hierarchy with wit and determination, forging unlikely alliances and facing betrayals as she strives to rise above her circumstances in a world driven by wealth, status and romantic pursuits.

Top cast: Olivia Cooke, Tom Bateman, Claudia Jessie, Johnny Flynn, Michael Palin, Frances de la Tour, Sian Clifford, Martin Clunes, Charlie Rowe.

Alternative versions

The Limehouse Golem (2016)

Bftv 8.5 / IMDb 6.3

In Victorian London, a series of gruesome murders shock the city, leaving its residents terrified. Inspector Kildare, determined to catch the elusive Limehouse Golem, unravels a web of secrets and deceit as he races against time to stop the killer before more innocent lives are taken.

Top cast: Bill Nighy, Olivia Cooke, Douglas Booth, Daniel Mays, Sam Reid, María Valverde, Eddie Marsan, Henry Goodman, Morgan Watkins.

The Secret of Crickley Hall (2012)

Bftv 8.0 / IMDb 6.8

A grieving family moves to the eerie Crickley Hall, where they encounter supernatural occurrences and unravel dark secrets from its past. As they delve deeper into the house’s haunting history, their own tragic loss becomes intertwined with the chilling mysteries that threaten their sanity and survival.

Top cast: Suranne Jones, Maisie Williams, Tom Ellis, Douglas Henshall, Olivia Cooke, Sarah Smart, David Warner, Iain De Caestecker, Pixie Davies.

Olivia Cooke full filmography @ Wikipedia