Last night at the 77th Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, 15-year-old English actor Owen Cooper made history as the youngest-ever winner of the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Cooper, who was just 14 when he filmed Adolescence, took home the award for his role as Jamie, a troubled teen arrested for the murder of a classmate in the gripping Netflix series.
Adolescence was Cooper’s very first professional acting gig, which makes his win even more remarkable. The show itself has been a massive hit, racking up 140 million views in its first three months on Netflix. Filmed in a bold single-take format for each episode, it’s sparked intense discussions about the toxic influence of online “incel” culture and its real-world consequences.
Standing on stage, clutching his Emmy, Cooper seemed genuinely stunned. “Honestly, when I started drama classes a couple of years ago, I never imagined I’d even be in the U.S., let alone here,” he said, beaming. He gave a heartfelt shoutout to his family, his co-star and Adolescence co-creator Stephen Graham, and the entire cast and crew. “This award has my name on it, but it really belongs to everyone behind the camera, Stephen, and all the cast,” he added.
Cooper’s win puts him in rare company. The record for the youngest Emmy winner still belongs to Roxana Zal, who was 14 when she won in 1984 for her role in Something About Amelia. Cooper beat out some heavy hitters for the award, including his Adolescence co-star Ashley Walters, Javier Bardem (Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story), Bill Camp and Peter Sarsgaard (Presumed Innocent), and Rob Delaney (Dying for Sex).
Before the ceremony, Cooper had shared his excitement about possibly meeting Jake Gyllenhaal, another Emmy nominee. On the red carpet, Gyllenhaal made the teen’s night by surprising him with a small gift—a “lucky duck” to keep in his pocket, a nod to a similar good-luck charm Gyllenhaal received when he was nominated for an Oscar for Brokeback Mountain. “It’s just a little bit of luck,” Gyllenhaal told him. How sweet is that?
Adolescence cleaned up at the Emmys, taking home awards for Best Limited Series, Best Directing, Best Writing, Best Actor in a Limited Series for Stephen Graham (who plays Jamie’s father, Eddie), and Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for Erin Doherty, who portrays the forensic psychologist evaluating Jamie. Graham, who also co-created the series, accepted the writing award alongside writer Jack Thorne, saying, “We never expected our little program to have such a big impact.”
It’s clear Adolescence has struck a chord, and Owen Cooper’s historic win is just the cherry on top of an incredible night for the show. Here’s to more bold storytelling and breakout stars like Cooper!