Owen Cooper: The Young Star Taking Hollywood By Storm

BY: MADELYN DIBIASE / CO-NEWS EDITOR

Owen Cooper poses for the press following his first Emmy win. (Photo: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Between avidly listening to Oasis and watching Liverpool FC matches, Owen Cooper has been making history as the youngest winner of many of Hollywood’s top awards. Owen is only 16-years-old and making waves in the TV and film industry, all with his first major TV role. 

The British actor was cast as “Jamie Miller” in the chilling Netflix drama, Adolescence, directed by Stephen Graham. This breakout role earned him recognition around the globe, as well as history-making award wins. 

Adolescence is Cooper’s first-ever acting gig, so for him to be winning so big, this early in his career, is unprecedented! But if you take a look at his work in the limited series, you can easily see that this kid is made of pure talent. 

He conveys the emotional story of Jaime Miller being arrested for stabbing a classmate, putting his parents through turmoil and emotional warfare with him. 

He started taking acting classes two years prior to booking Adolescence at the Drama MOB in Manchester. In his Golden Globes speech, he noted that he was the only boy in his classes, which made him embarrassed. However, it is safe to say that even being the only boy in classes paid its dividends. If it wasn’t for the Drama MOB, he would likely have never booked a role like Adolescence. 

The acting classes were more of a hobby for the Liverpool fan. When he was younger, he had career aspirations to be a professional footballer. Though his future plans have pivoted towards acting professionally, he still continues to root for his favorite Premier League club. His interest in Liverpool F.C. strengthened his bond with Adolescence co-star Stephen Graham, as Graham is also a fan of the club. 

Stephen Graham played a huge role in Owen’s success in Adolescence. After having trouble getting the emotional beats down during takes, Stephen helped him get into character. This being Owen’s first role, and the storyline being so heavy in itself, having a strong role model like Stephen Graham to look up to is ever so important. 

Owen’s Big Wins during Awards Season

Owen Cooper’s thrilling performance in the limited series brought home some big wins this awards season. Owen achieved the American quartet of major TV awards. This includes the Emmy, Critics’ Choice, Golden Globe, and Actor Award. He won the award for a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a TV Series at each award show. The name for the category itself can vary depending on the award. 

Not only did he take home these wins, but these wins ended up making history at each of these four award shows. At just 15-years-old, he won his Emmy, which made him the youngest winner in Television Academy history, in his respective category. 

Because Owen celebrated his birthday on December 5, the rest of his award wins came at age 16. Even still, he made history at the Critics’ Choice, Golden Globe, and Actor Award shows by being the youngest to win in the history of his category. 

The sweep of all four of these major television awards is rare, and it doesn't happen often. Let alone in the actor’s mid-teenage years. The last person to achieve this feat was Mark Ruffalo, for his performance in I Know This Much Is True. His sweep of the same four awards took place in 2020. 

Factoring in his age, this sweep is unprecedented and record-breaking. The second youngest person to achieve this sweep was Sterling K. Brown at 41-years-old, for his performance in This Is Us. That is a difference of 25 years. It is also important to factor in that all four awards have different voting bodies, which is why it is such a big feat to sweep.

How is Owen’s Future Lining Up So Far?

In 2025, following his breakout role in Adolescence, Owen booked the role of “Callum” in Aimee Lou Wood’s six-part romantic comedy series on BBC Three, called Film Club. This show is much lighter than Adolescence, in terms of themes. 

Currently, Owen’s new film role can be seen in theaters. He plays “Young Heathcliff” in the film Wuthering Heights, directed by Emerald Fennell. Alongside the young actor in this film are Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, two big names in Hollywood today. “Young Heathcliff” marks Owen’s first major film role. 

On May 31, Owen will be participating in Soccer Aid, representing Team England. Soccer Aid is a major celebrity football match, played to raise money for UNICEF. The match will take place at the London Stadium in England. His participation in the event ties back to his deep love for football, which he has carried with him since he was a child. 

History will be made by Owen Cooper again when he steps onto the football pitch that day. He will be the youngest player to ever lace up the cleats and take part in the charity match at 16-years-old. The first-ever Soccer Aid match took place in 2006, three years prior to Owen Cooper being born. 

It is safe to say that Owen Cooper’s illustrious career is just getting started. With his historic start in Adolescence, the sky is the limit for the British actor. He said in an interview with British Vogue that he aspires to have a career like Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Pacino, and Robert DeNiro, as he has much admiration for the three actors’ legendary performances in legendary films. 

Owen Cooper is well on his way to becoming the next Leo, Al, or Robert, and only time will tell how legendary the young actor will become.