Fifteen-year-old Owen Cooper stunned Hollywood on Sunday night, becoming the youngest male actor ever to win an Emmy for his breakout turn in Netflix’s miniseries Adolescence.
The series dominated the evening with six wins, with Cooper winning best supporting actor in the limited series at the 77th Emmy Awards.
Accepting the award, Cooper reflected on his rapid rise and urged others to take risks. “Step out of your comfort zone a little bit—who cares if you get embarrassed?” he said.
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His comments drew one of the evening’s warmest responses, in a ceremony that celebrated both newcomers and veterans across the television landscape.
Born on 5 December 2009 in Warrington, Cheshire, England, Cooper had his screen debut with Adolescence in March 2025, where he portrayed Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old accused of murder.
According to BBC, Cooper was selected from a pool of over 500 auditions. Adolescence production team approached his drama school and asked to view tapes of their strongest northern actors.
Teachers at the school later stated that they believed that Cooper “just had something.”
Highlights of the event
The ceremony, hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze, moved unusually swiftly thanks to a playful twist: a $100,000 charity donation was decreased for every speech that exceeded 45 seconds. The gimmick kept winners brief while still allowing heartfelt moments.
The red carpet dazzled as Sydney Sweeney, Pedro Pascal, and Jenna Ortega brought high-fashion glamour to Los Angeles. Fashion coverage quickly flooded social media, amplifying the night’s mix of prestige and pop culture appeal.
Other expected winners included Noah Wyle for lead actor in a drama and Jean Smart for comedy acting in Hacks. Yet the night also held surprises in the supporting categories: Katherine LaNasa of The Pitt and Tramell Tillman of Severance claimed awards that defied some pre-ceremony predictions.
With historic milestones, surprising upsets and a brisk, tightly produced show, this year’s Emmys balanced prestige with pop culture spectacle — and announced a new Hollywood milestone in Owen Cooper’s record-setting victory.
