Adolescence Star Owen Cooper Becomes Youngest Emmy Winner

Fifteen-year-old actor Owen Cooper has created history by becoming the youngest ever to win an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series. Cooper, who was only 14 during the filming of Adolescence, stunned audiences with his portrayal of Jamie—a teenager accused of murdering a female classmate.

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Breakthrough Role in Adolescence

Adolescence marked Cooper’s professional acting debut, and what a debut it was. The Netflix series grabbed over 140 million views in just three months. Filmed in one continuous take per episode, the show pushed boundaries and fueled a worldwide debate about the connection between online “incel” culture and real-world violence.

An Emotional Acceptance Speech

While accepting the award, Cooper humbly thanked his family, the crew, and co-star Stephen Graham, who also co-created the series. “It may have my name on this award, but it really belongs to the people behind the camera and my castmates,” Cooper shared on stage.

Standing Among Legends

Cooper joins the ranks of some of the youngest Emmy winners ever, alongside Roxana Zal, who set the record at 14 back in 1984 for Something About Amelia. This year, Cooper competed against strong contenders including his co-star Ashley Walters, Javier Bardem, Bill Camp, Peter Sarsgaard, and Rob Delaney.

A Special Red Carpet Moment

Before the ceremony, Cooper had expressed his dream of meeting Jake Gyllenhaal. To his delight, Gyllenhaal not only met him but also gifted him a quirky “lucky duck”—a charm Gyllenhaal himself received before his Oscar nomination for Brokeback Mountain.

Multiple Wins for Adolescence

The night was equally special for Adolescence, which swept multiple categories including Best Limited Series, Best Directing, Best Writing, and acting honors for Stephen Graham and Erin Doherty. “We never imagined our small show would make such a big impact,” Graham said while accepting the award for writing alongside Jack Thorne.

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