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Owen Cooper might have been the youngest cast member on Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights set earlier this year, but his star was already shining brighter than most. As Adolescence exploded on Netflix, Cooper’s gripping performance as Jamie Miller — a 13-year-old entangled in a murder accusation — turned him into one of the most talked-about young actors on TV. Even his co-stars, including Saltburn breakout Jacob Elordi and producer Margot Robbie, couldn’t ignore the buzz.
“They were all saying how big the show’s gone, and they were sick of seeing me on TV and stuff,” Cooper recalled with a smile. Elordi, who plays the older version of Cooper’s Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, didn’t miss the chance to tease him. “That’s what Jacob said,” Cooper added. “Margot said that she was dying to watch it.”
The British teen found himself at the center of a cultural moment, with Adolescence becoming a must-watch limited series. The show’s intense subject matter — centered around a deeply troubled boy accused of killing a classmate — drew acclaim and scrutiny alike. At just 15, Cooper has already earned his first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Anthology Series or Movie, becoming the youngest ever in that category.
“It’s crazy,” he said in an interview with Deadline, admitting that he hasn’t even watched the Emmy Awards before. A previous attempt to catch the Oscars ended in him falling asleep. The scale of it all still hasn’t fully hit him. “It’s been the best year of my life,” he added. “Now it’s over a little bit, I’m going back to a bit of normality. School has been perfectly fine.”
While Elordi might rib him, Cooper says his friends at home have kept things grounded. “They just know me for me, which I’m glad [about]. They haven’t changed in any way.”
As for Jamie Miller, Cooper says he’s managed to leave the dark role behind — a necessary step, considering the character’s emotional weight.
