British teenager Owen Cooper secured his place in television history on Sunday night after claiming the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series.
The 15-year-old performer triumphed over the likes of Oscar winner Javier Bardem for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and his own Adolescence colleague Ashley Walters.
Mr Cooper’s victory establishes him as the youngest male performer to receive an Emmy in any acting category, surpassing Scott Jacoby, who was 16 when he won in 1973.
The Manchester-born teenager had already broken records in July when his nomination made him the youngest person ever recognised in the supporting actor limited series category.
Emmys 2025: Owen Cooper won his first award on Sunday
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Mr Cooper earned the accolade for portraying Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old pupil accused of killing a female classmate in the Netflix crime drama Adolescence.
The four-episode series garnered widespread praise for its unique cinematography, with each instalment captured in a single uninterrupted camera shot.
The programme secured 13 Emmy nominations and rocketed to become Netflix’s second most-viewed English-language series, accumulating over 141 million views within three months of release.
Only Wednesday surpassed its viewership figures, whilst it outperformed the fourth season of Stranger Things.
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Emmys 2025: Owen Cooper is now a record holder
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Mr Cooper was 14 during production, and remarkably, the series represents his first-ever professional credit.
The show explores the criminal justice system and examines how harmful masculine behaviours can develop undetected by well-intentioned parents.
During his acceptance speech, Mr Cooper expressed disbelief at his achievement, stating that “standing up here is so surreal” after beginning drama lessons merely two years ago.
“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,” the teenager told the audience.
Owen Cooper wins the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited/Anthology Series for his incredible performance in ADOLESCENCE.
He is the youngest male actor ever to win an Emmy! pic.twitter.com/DIQvlhp6wk
— Netflix (@netflix) September 15, 2025
He reflected on his rapid transformation, saying: “I was nothing about three years ago and I’m here now.”
Mr Cooper urged others to embrace new experiences, asking: “Who cares if you get embarrassed?”
The young actor acknowledged his parents, the programme’s cast and crew, and Netflix in his remarks.
“It says my name on the statue, but it really belongs to all of the people who worked on the show,” he added.
Emmys 2025: Owen Cooper shot to fame in Netflix’s Adolescence
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Mr Cooper’s victory left his co-star Mr Graham emotional in the crowd, and viewer at home were also left elated to see the youngster land his spot in the history books.
On X, one viewer penned: “Stephen Graham’s, ‘Wow! Wow!’ At the end of Owen Cooper’s speech really sums it up. Wow. That’s some incredible presence, Mr. Cooper. #Emmys.”
“I love you so much Owen Cooper, you have an amazing future ahead of you,” a second wrote before a third weighed in: “Congrats to Owen Cooper. Well deserved. #Adolescence #Emmys.”
“YESSS EMMY WINNER OWEN COOPER!!” another echoed before a fifth said: “Congratulations Owen Cooper on becoming the youngest male Emmy recipient #EmmyAwards.” (sic)
Emmys 2025: Owen Cooper thanks his co-stars and family
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The achievement places Mr Cooper amongst an exclusive group of teenage Emmy recipients, with only four other performers winning before their 18th birthday.
Roxana Zal remains the youngest Emmy victor across all categories, having secured her award aged 14 in 1984 for Something About Amelia.
Mr Cooper’s journey to Emmy glory is particularly extraordinary given his complete lack of professional experience before auditioning for Adolescence.
The teenager has already secured his next role, portraying young Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell’s forthcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation alongside Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie.
He will also appear as Callum in the BBC drama series Film Club.
His award win wasn’t the only talking point from the evening. Stephen Colbert caused a debate among Emmys viewers following the reception he received from the star-studded crowd.
Elsewhere, Hacks star Hannah Einbinder caused controversy and had her acceptance speech bleeped live on-air when she exclaimed “f*** ICE” and “free Palestine”.