Adolescence breakout star Owen Cooper reacts to winning first big award for hit show

Owen Cooper, the 15-year-old actor who rose to fame as Jamie Miller in Stephen Graham’s haunting Netflix series Adolescence, has won his first major award for the hit show.

The four-part drama became an instant success early this year, and was at the centre of a national conversation about incel culture, misogyny and the online “manosphere”. The series follows Jamie, whose exposure to misogynistic online communities may have contributed to him killing a female classmate.

In one particularly memorable episode – shot by director Philip Barantini as a one-take – Jamie’s aggression begins to emerge during a pre-trial assessment with clinical psychologist Briony Ariston, played by Erin Doherty (The Crown, Becky).

Both actors were up for the Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited Series gong at the 35th Gotham Awards on Monday night (2 June) – but it was 15-year-old Cooper, who had never booked an acting job before Adolescence, who scooped the prestigious accolade.

In an emotional acceptance speech, Cooper dedicated the achievement to Doherty, saying: “The main person that I have to thank is Erin, who is also nominated for this award. That episode that we did together, it was easy to do it with you and it was such an honor to share this award with you. You deserve this award just as much as I do, so round of applause for Erin please.”

Cooper also thanked Barantini and producer Joe Johnson, as well as Stephen Graham and his wife Hannah Walters, whose company Matriarch Productions made Adolescencea reality. “I just want to thank everyone that was part of the Adolescence cast and crew, everyone that was there,” he said.

Rounding off what is predicted to be his first of many acceptance speeches ahead of next year’s awards season, the 15-year-old thanked his parents – IT worker Andy and care worker Noreen Cooper – for “creating” him. “That's about it. Thanks to Gotham awards for handing me this award,” he said.

Adolescence was nominated for four Gotham awards on Monday night, taking home three of them: Breakthrough Limited Series, Outstanding Lead Performance in a Limited Series for Stephen Graham, and Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited Series for Cooper.

Industry insiders have predicted the 15-year-old will be nominated for Best Supporting Actor at this year’s Emmy Awards. If he wins, Cooper would become the youngest ever male winner in the history of the awards. Official nominations are set to be announced on Tuesday, 15 July.