Olivia Cooke’s rise in the spotlight has been quiet but deeply impressive. Hailing from Oldham, Greater Manchester, and born on December 27, 1993, Cooke didn’t take the typical acting-school route into Hollywood; instead, she cut her teeth in local theater, taking on whatever roles she could find before landing her first TV gigs. Her breakout came with “Bates Motel,” but it was her role as Rachel in “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” that firmly planted her in the minds of audiences and critics alike – her performance was raw, vulnerable, and utterly convincing.
What’s striking about Cooke is her chameleon-like presence onscreen. Whether she’s inhabiting the complex, ailing Emma Decody in “Bates Motel” or stepping into the treacherous world of Alicent Hightower in “House of the Dragon,” she disappears into her characters – her English accent always a surprise to American fans. She doesn’t chase showy roles but instead gravitates toward characters with interior lives, ones she can excavate with nuance and empathy.
Despite growing fame, Cooke hasn’t transformed into a tabloid staple. She prefers to keep her private life out of the headlines, but she’s been candid about the emotional toll the industry can take. She’s spoken openly about imposter syndrome and anxiety, sharing in a 2022 interview with The Guardian, “I still wake up some mornings thinking someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, ‘We’ve made a terrible mistake.’” It’s this honesty that makes her feel relatable, even as she navigates red carpets and fantasy epics.
Romantically, she’s kept things close to the chest. Since around 2021, she’s been linked to Welsh actor Jacob Ifan; before that came a brief relationship with Ben Hardy in 2020 and, earlier, with Christopher Abbott between 2015 and 2016. Years back, as her career was just starting, she dated Alex Roe. Fans have occasionally speculated about off-screen chemistry with certain co-stars – Freddie Highmore, for instance – but Cooke’s approach to these rumors is understated, if she addresses them at all.
She once reflected in an interview with The Independent on the difficulty of holding onto stability in her relationships: “This industry makes maintaining any kind of stability really difficult. You’re constantly saying goodbye to people and places.” For Cooke, relationships with those who understand the unpredictable demands of an acting career seem to be the most enduring.
Past Relationships
Jacob Ifan
Ben Hardy
Christopher Abbott
Alex Roe
Through it all, Cooke manages to approach both her work and her life with thoughtfulness and a low-key wit. She doesn’t air heartbreaks on social media or dwell on the past in interviews. Instead, she lets her roles speak for themselves – whether she’s reigning over Westeros or playing an ordinary woman in extraordinary situations, her performances have a warmth and vulnerability that feel uniquely hers. As Cooke’s career evolves, she remains grounded, likable, and deeply committed to her craft – qualities that make her standout as one of her generation’s most intriguing young actresses.
