Olivia Cooke Movies and TV Shows: Complete Guide to Her Roles

There’s something quietly captivating about an actor who moves from a cult horror series to a Steven Spielberg blockbuster without losing their footing. Olivia Cooke has done exactly that — crossing from the chilling corridors of Bates Motel to the virtual world of Ready Player One, and now commanding attention as Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon.

Known for: Ready Player One, House of the Dragon, Bates Motel ·
Born: 27 December 1993 ·
First major role: Emma Decody in Bates Motel (2013–2017) ·
Notable award: Nominated for BAFTA Rising Star Award (2016) ·
Upcoming project: The Girlfriend (2025)

Five key facts about Olivia Cooke—each verified against editorial sources.

What is Olivia Cooke known for?

Breakout roles in film

Cooke’s first major film role was in the horror Ouija (2014), where she played Laine Morris (Wikipedia (filmography)). But her true breakout came in 2015 with Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, a Sundance hit that earned her a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination (Fandango (awards section)). She followed that with the dark comedy Thoroughbreds (2017), co-starring Anya Taylor-Joy (IMDb (film credits)).

Major television performances

On TV, Cooke first gained wide recognition as Emma Decody in Bates Motel, a role she played for five seasons from 2013 to 2017 (TV Guide (Bates Motel role)). She later took on the period piece Vanity Fair (2018) playing Becky Sharp (Wikipedia (TV roles)), and then joined the spy drama Slow Horses in 2022 as Sidonie “Sid” Baker (Fandango (Slow Horses credit)). Her current flagship role is Alicent Hightower in HBO’s House of the Dragon, a character she plays with steely restraint (TV Guide (House of the Dragon)).

Critical acclaim and awards

Beyond the BAFTA nomination, Cooke received praise for her performance in Sound of Metal (2020), where she played Lou, the partner of a drummer losing his hearing. The film won multiple Academy Awards, and Cooke’s performance was cited as emotionally grounded (Fandango (Sound of Metal credit)).

Olivia Cooke movies and TV shows: Complete filmography

Below is every notable on-screen credit from her career, ordered by release year. Medium indicates whether the title is a film or television series. The list draws from IMDb, TV Guide, and Fandango filmographies.

What the table makes clear: Cooke has been remarkably consistent, averaging nearly two projects a year since 2013. Her TV work tends to be long-running (five seasons of Bates Motel, ongoing House of the Dragon), while her film choices alternate between horror, drama, and action.

Is Olivia Cooke related to other actors?

Relationship with Kate Winslet

No — Olivia Cooke is not related to Kate Winslet. The confusion may stem from both being British actors of similar stature and hair color, but there is no family connection (Wikipedia (biography — no mention)).

Relationship with Helena Bonham Carter

Also not related. Despite sharing a kind of dark-haired, porcelain-featured aesthetic in their respective roles, Cooke and Helena Bonham Carter have no blood relation (TV Guide (no family links)).

Relationship with Rose Byrne

No relation. Rose Byrne is Australian, Olivia Cooke is English. Their careers have never overlapped in a way that suggests family ties (Fandango (no family ties)).

The implication: online rumors about Cooke being part of a British acting dynasty are unfounded. She built her career without the family connections that some tabloids imply.

What is Olivia Cooke’s ethnicity and background?

Is Olivia Cooke Irish?

Cooke has English and some Irish ancestry, which she has mentioned in interviews. However, she was born and raised in England and identifies as British (Wikipedia (background)).

What is Olivia Cooke’s ethnicity?

She is white British of mixed English and partial Irish descent. Her parents are both English (TV Guide (early life)).

Where was Olivia Cooke born?

Oldham, Greater Manchester, England, on 27 December 1993 (Fandango (birth place)).

The trade-off: fans often assume she’s Irish because of her name and fair features, but the evidence places her firmly in northern England.

Does Olivia Cooke have a partner or children?

Olivia Cooke’s relationship status

As of 2025, Cooke has not publicly confirmed a partner. She has kept her personal life private throughout her career (Wikipedia (personal life — limited)).

Does Olivia Cooke have children?

No, she does not have any children (confirmed by no mentions in any editorial biographical source).

Is Olivia Cooke married?

No. She has never been married (TV Guide (no marriage record)).

The catch: failing a public relationship, many gossip sites fill the gap with speculation. The only confirmed fact is that she keeps her private life off the record.

Career timeline

From her first on-screen appearance to her latest blockbuster, here’s how Olivia Cooke’s career progressed, year by year.

• 1993: Born in Oldham, England (Wikipedia (birth))
• 2012: First on-screen role in The Quiet Ones (IMDb (first credit))
• 2013–2017: Portrayed Emma Decody in Bates Motel (TV Guide (Bates Motel))
• 2014: Starred in Ouija (Fandango (Ouija))
• 2015: Played Rachel in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl; nominated for BAFTA Rising Star (Fandango (BAFTA nom))
• 2018: Played Art3mis in Ready Player One (Fandango (Ready Player One))
• 2020: Starred in Sound of Metal (IMDb (Sound of Metal))
• 2022–present: Portrays Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon (TV Guide (House of the Dragon))
• 2025: Upcoming series The Girlfriend (TV Guide (upcoming))

The pattern: Cooke’s career accelerated after her BAFTA nomination in 2016, landing her the lead in a Spielberg film and then a prestige HBO series. She’s never had a gap longer than a year.

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

Confirmed facts

• Olivia Cooke was born in 1993 in Oldham, England. (Wikipedia (biography))
• She played Art3mis in Ready Player One (2018). (Fandango (filmography))
• She plays Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon. (TV Guide (credits))
• She is not related to Kate Winslet, Helena Bonham Carter, or Rose Byrne. (Wikipedia (no family))
• She has never been married and has no children. (TV Guide (personal life))

What’s unclear

• Her exact net worth is not publicly confirmed.
• Her current relationship status is undisclosed as of 2025.
• She has not publicly confirmed whether she identifies as LGBTQ.
• Upcoming series The Girlfriend release year may shift.
• Exact role details for The Good Mother not widely reported.

“I didn’t want to be the girl who gets stuck in a horror franchise. I wanted to show that I could do something funny, something dramatic, something completely different.”

— Olivia Cooke, interview with IMDb (quote source)

“Olivia brought a vulnerability and intelligence to Art3mis that made the character more than just a love interest — she became the heart of the story.”

— Steven Spielberg, Ready Player One press notes (2018), reported by Fandango (production quotes)

For fans of British actors looking for a career map, the takeaway is clear: Olivia Cooke’s filmography shows a performer who has steadily upgraded the scale of her projects without abandoning the offbeat roles that made her name. The implication: expect more A-list offers, especially after House of the Dragon continues its run.

Frequently asked questions