15-year-old Adolescence star Owen Cooper made history after becoming the youngest-ever male Emmy winner as the show cleaned up at a glittering ceremony in LA last night.
The Warrington-born teenager, who will be flying back to the UK today so he can study for his GCSEs, won Best Supporting Actor for his breathtaking performance as Jamie Miller in the four-part Netflix show. It was filmed when he was just 14.
Owen was given a standing ovation as he took to the stage to receive his award from Sydney Sweeney, who gave him a hug after beating stars such as Javier Bardem to the award.
Adolescence, the story of a boy accused of murder after he discovers ‘incel’ culture online, has averaged around 45million views per month and become a must-watch for parents and teenagers around the world.
Last night at the Emmy’s the show took home five other awards on the night including Best Limited Series, taking its overall tally to eight.
Star Stephen Graham won in the acting and writing categories, the latter alongside Jack Thorne. Best Supporting Actress went to Erin Doherty, while director Philip Barantini won his category. It had two in the bank from pre-show hand-outs for cinematography and casting.
Accepting his award Owen said: ‘Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind here.
‘It may have my name on this award, but it really belongs to the people behind the camera and Stephen and all the cast’.
He added: ‘I think tonight proves that if you listen and you focus and step out of your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life’.
Owen was given a week off school by his headteacher, but admitted last night it was on the proviso that he did homework while he was in LA, especially maths. His parents Andy and Noreen joined him in LA with his two brothers.
Owen Cooper made history as the youngest ever male Emmy winner for his performance as Jamie Miller in Netflix’s hit miniseries, Adolescence
Owen Cooper accepts the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for ‘Adolescence’ from presenter Sydney Sweeney
Sydney gave Owen a hug as he made history last night
Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty all picked up awards in LA last night
‘I was nothing about three years ago. I’m here now. If you listen and you focus and you step out of your comfort zone a little bit, who cares if you get embarrassed a little bit?’
He triumphed over Javier Bardem (Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story), Rob Delaney (Dying for Sex), Peter Sarsgaard (Presumed Innocent), Bill Camp (Presumed Innocent) and his Adolescence co-star Ashley Walters.
Erin Doherty dedicated her first win to her ‘big sister Grace’ and said she ‘wouldn’t be here without’ her.
‘I love you with all my heart,’ she concluded.
The series received a total of eight wins and 13 nominations.
The show’s director Philip Barantini scooped the prize for Directing A Limited Series, Anthology Series or Movie.
Presenter Elizabeth Banks commented that Barantini was ‘the one-r,’ a joke that played on the limited series’s one-take filming style that captivated viewers.
She also played on the fact that he was the only man nominated in the category before opening the envelope and declaring him the winner.
Actor Stephen Graham was one of the night’s big winners, taking home Best Actor for his role of Jamie’s father Eddie Miller, as well as sharing the writing award with Jack Thorne and collecting Best Series on behalf of the cast and crew.
As he took his acting award, he said: ‘I’m just a mixed race kid from a block of flats, so for me to be here today in front of my peers and to be acknowledged today is the most humbling thing.’
Thorne, who has scripted hit shows such as Mr Bates Versus The Post Office, made a point of thanking Adolescence’s young cast, naming several of the schoolchildren who appeared on screen.
The series, which centres around schoolboy Jamie Miller, follows his story when he is accused of murdering a female classmate after seeing extreme and misogynistic content online.
Elsewhere The Studio and its writer-director-producer-star Seth Rogen won four trophies, and one of the main prizes of the night, Best Drama, went to The Pitt.
Cooper is, now, the youngest male winner of a primetime Emmy – TV’s equivalent of the Oscars – in the event’s 77-year history.
After his win, he is jumping straight on a plane from LAX today so he’s back in school on Wednesday as he prepares for his GCSEs.
The star had been given a week off by teachers at his Warrington secondary school so he could jet to Hollywood for the big night.
Fellow Brit, John Oliver, also won for outstanding writing for a variety series.
He managed to keep his acceptance speech to just 15 seconds.
Meanwhile, Adam Randall took home the prize for outstanding directing in a drama series.
‘That is unexpected. Thank you very much. First and foremost, I want to thank my wife Natalie who has been on this journey since the very beginning,’ he said.
Randall went on to praise his spouse and insist without her love and belief he ‘wouldn’t be standing here today.’
‘This is as much yours as it is mine. I want to thank my kids,’ he concluded, before shouting out his costar, Gary Oldman.
Sadly English hopefuls Aimee Lou Wood and Jason Issac both failed to win gongs for their roles in The White Lotus at the Emmys in LA on Sunday evening.
The Stockport born actress, 31, who has played Chelsea in the hit HBO show lost out on Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series to The Pitt’s Katherine LaNasa.
While co-star Jason, 62, who played Timothy Ratliff and famously went full frontal, was beaten in the Outstanding Supporting Actor Category by Severance star Tramell Tillman.
Severance also dominated when it came to Best Actress with Britt Lower taking home the gong and leaving the British star The Last Of Us Bella Ramsey, 21, empty handed.
The win also meant that Irish actress and Bad Sisters creator Sharon Horgan, 55, was also overlooked.
But it wasn’t long before a Brit did take to the stage with Scottish star and Traitors US host Alan Cumming, 60, accepting the reality TV Award.