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Congratulations are in order for Owen Cooper, star of the British Netflix series Adolescence, who made history at the 2025 Emmy Awards on Sunday, 14 September.
The 15-year-old actor won the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series Emmy, making him the youngest male ever to take home the award in any acting category. Cooper’s win was part of an incredible night for Adolescence, which, along with its cast members, claimed a total of eight Emmy Awards.
Cooper plays 13-year-old Jamie Miller, a schoolboy arrested for the murder of a classmate named Katie. Inspired by tragic real-life events, the series explores the heartbreaking questions around how a young boy could commit such a crime, the impact on his family, and the role of social media and toxic masculinity in shaping the narrative.
The four-part series, which also stars Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, and Ashley Waters, was filmed in a single, continuous take for each episode, creating an immersive and gripping viewing experience.
In his acceptance speech, Cooper reflected on his journey to the stage:
“Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind here. But I think tonight proves that if you listen and you focus and you step out of your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life.”
Cooper’s win breaks Scott Jacoby’s long-held record—Jacoby won an Emmy for That Certain Summer in 1973 at age 16. The youngest Emmy winner overall remains Roxana Zal, who won at age 14 for Something About Amelia in 1984.
The Adolescence cast also celebrated other major wins. Erin Doherty won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for her role as clinical psychologist Briony Ariston, dedicating her award to her older sister. Stephen Graham won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series, director Philip Barantini took home Outstanding Directing, and writers Jack Thorne and Graham won for Outstanding Writing.
During his acceptance speech, Graham shared a heartfelt message about his journey:
“I’m just a mixed-race kid from a block of flats in a place called Kirkby. So, for me to be here today in front of my peers and to be acknowledged by you is the utmost humbling thing I could ever imagine in my life, and it shows you that any dream is possible.”
Finally, Adolescence also won the award for Best Limited or Anthology Series, capping off a historic night for the show and its talented cast.