Teen actor Owen Cooper makes history at the Emmys! Read all about the 15-year-old star’s incredible win for his role in “Adolescence” and how he became the youngest male actor to ever win an Emmy.
In a night filled with emotional wins and historic moments, a new star was crowned at the 77th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.
Fifteen-year-old Owen Cooper, the breakout star of Netflix’s limited series “Adolescence“, made television history by becoming the youngest male actor ever to win a Primetime Emmy.
Cooper took home the coveted award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, a win that sent a clear message to Hollywood: a new generation has arrived.
From Manchester to Emmy Glory
Cooper, who hails from Manchester, England, was a newcomer with no prior professional acting credits before landing his role in “Adolescence”. He was just 14 years old during filming. His win shatters a long-standing record held by actor Michael A. Goorjian, who won at age 23 in 1994. The win also places him among the youngest Emmy winners of all time, just behind Roxana Zal, who won at 14 in 1984.
His victory is all the more impressive given the formidable competition he faced. The category was stacked with acting heavyweights, including his own co-star Ashley Walters, Academy Award-winner Javier Bardem, Bill Camp, Peter Sarsgaard, and Rob Delaney.
“Adolescence”: The Show that Made History
Cooper’s win is intrinsically linked to the immense success of “Adolescence”, a show that dominated the Emmy night. The four-part Netflix series, which explores the emotional and psychological turmoil of a 13-year-old boy arrested for a classmate’s murder, has been a critical and viewership sensation. It earned a staggering 140 million views in its first three months, making it one of Netflix’s biggest hits.
The show’s unique storytelling, with each episode filmed in a single continuous take, earned it eight Emmy awards, including:
- Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
- Outstanding Writing
- Outstanding Directing
- Outstanding Lead Actor for co-creator Stephen Graham
- Outstanding Supporting Actress for Erin Doherty
- And of course, Cooper’s historic win.
An Emotional Win and a “Lucky Duck”
Cooper’s acceptance speech was a moment of genuine emotion. Visibly overwhelmed, he thanked his family, the cast, and the crew and shared an inspiring message for young people. “Honestly, when I started drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind here,” he said. He encouraged everyone to “step out of your comfort zone a little bit… Who cares if it’s a bit embarrassing? Just go for it.”
Before the ceremony, Cooper had a dream-come-true moment when his acting hero, Jake Gyllenhaal, surprised him with a small “lucky duck” trinket on the red carpet, a nod to one Gyllenhaal received before his own Oscar nomination. The gift seemed to work, as the young actor is now a certified Emmy winner and the new face of a record-breaking year for television.
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