Who Is Owen Cooper? All About The 16-Year-Old And His Parents As He Makes Waves In Awards Season

Owen Cooper, 16, has made history at the Golden Globe Awards 2026 after winning the Best Supporting Actor on TV male award for his breakout role in Netflix's hit miniseries Adolescence. The young teen actor has now become the youngest-ever male winner in the category, beating the previous record held by Glee star Chris Colfer, who won at age 20 in 2010. When Owen took to the stage on January 11, 2026, he looked overwhelmed at receiving the honour and admitted the moment felt unreal to him. As the young star expressed his gratitude towards his parents, it made viewers curious to know about his journey and family. Let's know all about Owen Cooper's rise to fame. 

Who is Owen Cooper? 

Owen Cooper was born on December 5, 2009, in Warrington, England. He rose to international fame with his debut role in Netflix's Adolescence. For those unaware, the crime drama followed the journey of a disturbing murder and was filmed in intense, real-time one-shot episodes. Owen played the role of 'Jamie Miller', a 13-year-old boy who is accused of the murder. Although Owen had no prior professional acting experience, he was selected among the 500 auditions for the role.

Owen was just 14 years old when he first filmed the emotionally demanding scenes for the series. Needless to say, his performance left the critics and viewers stunned, receiving praise for his maturity, emotional control, and raw screen presence. Over time, Adolescence quickly became one of Netflix's most talked-about limited series of the year, making Owen a household name almost overnight.

Who are Owen Cooper's parents and siblings? 

Despite Owen Cooper's quick rise to fame, he comes from a completely non-showbiz background. His mother, Noreen Cooper, works as a full-time carer while his father, Andy Cooper, is an IT professional from Warrington. The couple has three sons, and Owen is the youngest of them all. He has two elder brothers, Connor, 30, and Ollie, 20, who work as electricians. 

Noreen has often shared how she used to drive Owen over an hour every way to ensure he could attend his acting classes in Manchester. The 16-year-old's parents have accompanied him to major award shows, including the Emmys and Critics' Choice Awards. In one of his speeches, Owen joked about how unusual it was for "a family of electricians, a carer, and an IT worker" to suddenly find themselves in Hollywood.

How did Owen Cooper become the awards season's youngest favourite? 

Before pursuing acting, Owen Cooper dreamed of becoming a professional footballer and played for the Warrington Rylands U15 squad. But he soon became interested in acting after watching Tom Holland in The Impossible. It led him to join drama classes, and he gave multiple auditions until he landed the role in Adolescence, which changed his life for the good. Now, the young star has some major projects lined up for the future. He will next play young Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell's upcoming adaptation of Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. At the same time, he would appear in the BBC drama Film Club with Aimee Lou Wood and Suranne Jones.

Meanwhile, Owen Cooper's win against Billy Crudup, Jason Isaacs, Walton Goggins, and Tramell Tillman has already made him one of the most discussed winners of the Golden Globes 2026.

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