Emmys 2025: Breakout star Owen Cooper wins supporting actor Emmy for Adolescence in his debut role, becoming youngest male winner in history

At just 15 years old, Owen Cooper made history at the Emmys 2025 on September 14, 2025, when he became the youngest male actor ever to win an Emmy. The English newcomer took home Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his role in Netflix’s Adolescence.

The victory capped a whirlwind year for Cooper, who had never acted on screen before landing the part of Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old accused of murder in the Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham created miniseries.

Selected from more than 500 auditions after the production team scouted his Manchester drama school, Cooper’s breakout performance drew widespread acclaim, with critics calling it one of the strongest debuts ever for a child actor.

Going into Emmys 2025 night at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Cooper was already the youngest nominee ever in his category. He beat out seasoned stars including Javier Bardem (Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story), Bill Camp and Peter Sarsgaard (Presumed Innocent), Rob Delaney (Dying for Sex), and even his Adolescence co-star Ashley Walters.

In his acceptance speech, Cooper noted that while the statue had his name on it, the win belonged to everyone who worked on the series.

Owen Cooper makes history at just 15 years old at the Emmys 2025

Owen Cooper’s Emmys 2025 victory is historic not just because of his age but because of the circumstances that led him there. Before Adolescence, he had no professional acting credits and was better known in his hometown of Warrington, England, as a promising football player.

He played for the Warrington Rylands U15 squad and only began weekly acting lessons at The Drama Mob in Manchester after being inspired by Tom Holland’s performance in The Impossible.

The show’s co-creator Stephen Graham insisted on casting an unknown northern actor for the lead role, and Cooper was chosen after the production team revisited his drama school multiple times. His audition stood out from a pool of more than 500 hopefuls, and filming took place between July and October 2024.

His portrayal of Jamie Miller quickly drew industry attention. The Evening Standard described his work as possibly “the best debut ever seen by a child actor,” and his performance went on to earn him the Gotham TV Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited Series earlier in the year.

The Emmys 2025 cemented that recognition, placing him alongside past young winners like Zendaya, Michael J. Fox, and Kristy McNichol while setting a new benchmark for male actors under 18.

What makes Cooper’s win even more striking is the competition he faced. Javier Bardem brought star power with his role in Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, while Peter Sarsgaard and Bill Camp had both been praised for their work in Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent.

Rob Delaney had the critical backing of FX’s Dying for Sex, and Ashley Walters had delivered a seasoned performance in Adolescence itself. Cooper not only held his own but came out on top, a result that surprised many who expected the award to go to a veteran.

On stage, his reaction reflected just how new he is to the spotlight. He kept his speech simple, saying the award might have his name on it but really belonged to everyone who worked on the show.

That sense of humility has been consistent in interviews, where he has admitted the experience hasn’t fully sunk in. With future roles already lined up, including the BBC series Film Club and Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights adaptation, Cooper’s Emmys 2025 win signals the beginning of a career that industry watchers will be following closely.

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