It’s not every year that a teenager storms the world of television, collects a historic Emmy, and finds himself rubbing shoulders with the likes of Margot Robbie and Tom Hiddleston. But for Owen Cooper, 2025 was no ordinary year. At just 16, Cooper has already achieved what most actors dream of for a lifetime—and he’s only just begun. His journey from the football parks of Warrington, England, to the dazzling lights of Hollywood has captivated critics, audiences, and industry insiders alike, making him one of the most talked-about figures as the calendar flips to 2026.
Cooper’s meteoric rise began with his astonishing debut in Netflix’s limited series Adolescence. According to The Associated Press, Cooper, then just 15, delivered a performance as Jamie Miller—a 13-year-old boy suspected of murder—that was so raw and unflinching that it not only won him critical acclaim but also the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor. This win was historic: he became the youngest male actor ever to take home the award, a fact highlighted by Entertainment Daily and celebrated across the industry.
Yet, as Cooper himself told The Associated Press, he hadn’t even considered the idea of pursuing an EGOT—winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony—until it was suggested to him. Laughing off the notion, he quipped, “Is that the Emmy, the Grammy, the Oscar and the Tony? I’ve got E, so I want it.” Despite his humility, Cooper’s ambitions are clear. “I want to be one of those actors that are just fearless,” he said, reflecting on his early reluctance to step into drama classes at age 12 and his transformation into a performer who commands the screen.
Cooper’s success in Adolescence was no fluke. The series itself was a demanding project, with each episode shot in a single take, requiring immense discipline from its cast. As Film Companion noted in its year-end roundup of breakout stars, Cooper’s portrayal was described by critics as “raw” and “unflinching,” cementing his reputation as a generational talent. Stephen Graham, the Emmy-winning co-creator of Adolescence who played Cooper’s father, called him “the talent of a generation” and even dubbed him “the next Robert De Niro.” High praise, indeed, but Cooper seems to take it all in stride, focusing instead on the craft and the joy of acting.
His Emmy win catapulted him into the international spotlight and onto the guest list of the prestigious Graham Norton New Year’s Show on BBC One. As reported by Entertainment Daily, Cooper joined a star-studded lineup that included Oscar winners Laura Dern and Will Arnett, Marvel’s Tom Hiddleston, and triple Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan. On the show, Cooper recounted the surreal experience of winning such a major award at a young age, calling the ceremony “the best day of my life.” He also spoke about the whirlwind that followed the release of Adolescence: “I was nervous about what the reaction to it would be, but a week after it went out everything blew up. It has been a good year.”
Despite all the accolades, Cooper remains refreshingly grounded. He told Graham Norton that he still had his GCSEs ahead of him and joked, “I’ve only got about six months left and then I am gone. And then hopefully I am going to be an actor.” For now, he’s balancing school and a burgeoning career that shows no signs of slowing down.
That career is set to reach new heights in 2026. Cooper will make his Oscar-eligible film debut in director Emerald Fennell’s highly anticipated adaptation of Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie. Cooper plays the younger version of Heathcliff, portrayed by Jacob Elordi. While he doesn’t share scenes with the film’s biggest stars, he told The Associated Press about their off-camera camaraderie: “I would always be next to Margot in the makeup chair so I speak to them quite a lot and they’re really nice people.” Filming the period drama was a revelation for Cooper, who marveled at the “insane” attention to detail on set.
Not content to rest on his laurels, Cooper is also set to appear in Tom Ford’s Cry to Heaven, an 18th-century Italian drama featuring Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and pop superstar Adele in her acting debut. The project promises to further showcase Cooper’s versatility and willingness to tackle diverse genres and eras. As he told The Associated Press, “I want to do horror, I want to do, like, a superhero, I want to do sci-fi. I just want to do everything.”
Cooper’s journey is all the more remarkable given his roots. Raised in Northern England’s Warrington, he’s the youngest of three brothers in a non-industry family. Soccer was his first love—he describes spending entire days on the park pitch, caring about nothing else. Acting was a secondary hobby until drama lessons at Manchester’s Drama MOB unlocked his potential. It was there that he landed the role in Adolescence over hundreds of hopefuls, setting him on his current path.
His breakout has not gone unnoticed internationally. Film Companion included him among the nine breakout stars of 2025 from Hollywood and Bollywood, alongside the likes of Sara Arjun and Ahaan Panday. The article noted that Cooper’s Emmy-winning turn in Adolescence was a defining moment in a year that saw a new generation of fearless talent take center stage.
As the industry looks ahead to 2026, Cooper’s name is at the top of every major casting director’s wishlist. He’s already expressed a desire to work with legendary directors such as Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and David Fincher. And while heavy drama may have brought him fame, Cooper is eager to explore every corner of the cinematic world, from horror to superheroes to science fiction.
With a historic Emmy win, a string of high-profile projects, and a down-to-earth attitude, Owen Cooper is poised not just for stardom, but for longevity. The world will be watching as he takes his next steps—fearless, ambitious, and ready for whatever comes next.
