'Was nothing...three years ago': Owen Cooper talks historic Emmy victory
What's the story
The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards are being held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony is hosted by Nate Bargatze. Among the winners is 15-year-old Owen Cooper, who bagged the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his role in Netflix's Adolescence. With this win, he has become the youngest male actor to win an Emmy! Here's what he said in his acceptance speech.
Speech
Cooper recalls taking acting classes
Cooper said, "Standing up here is just so surreal. Honestly, when I started this drama a couple of years ago, I did not expect to be in the United States." "Tonight proves that if you listen, if you step out of your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life. I was nothing about three years ago. Anything is possible." He also thanked his family, co-stars, and Netflix in his speech.
Twitter Post
Listen to Cooper here
Owen Cooper gives his #Emmys acceptance speech, the youngest male actor to ever win an award from the Television Academy. pic.twitter.com/Yv4fh8Ycwp
— IndieWire (@IndieWire) September 15, 2025
Series theme
More about 'Adolescence'
Adolescence delves into the intricacies of the criminal system and how toxic masculinity can thrive under the watchful eyes of well-meaning parents. Cooper plays a 13-year-old boy arrested for murder in the series. Cooper's win is particularly significant as it was his first-ever on-screen performance. He triumphed over Ashley Waters, Javier Bardem, Rob Delaney, Peter Sarsgaard, and Bill Camp. The young actor has already bagged a role as a young Heathcliffe in Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights adaptation.
Show's success
'Adolescence' and its Emmy nominations
Despite being a four-part miniseries with episodes under four hours, Adolescence became one of Netflix's most-watched shows. It received 13 Emmy nominations and won two at the Creative Arts Emmys. The series is known for its unique filming style, where each episode is shot in one continuous take. In Episode 3, Cooper gives a stunning performance during an intense session with a psychologist.