Owen Cooper’s audition tape for Netflix’s Adolescence has been unveiled, just days after the 15-year-old actor made history as the youngest-ever male Emmy Award winner.
Cooper, who earned critical acclaim for his portrayal of Jamie Miller, a teenager accused of murder after being drawn into misogynistic online forums, won Best Supporting Actor at Sunday’s Primetime Emmy Awards.
Remarkably, the role was his first acting job.
Casting director Shaheen Baig began searching for the show’s lead early last year, inviting drama clubs across the UK to submit self-tapes.
According to Daily Mail, Cooper impressed director Philip Barantini and later co-creators Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne with his raw performances.
“In the first tape you had to act innocent when you hadn’t done anything wrong, and in the second you had to act like you hadn’t — but you really had,” Cooper told i-D.
Despite nerves in his early auditions, Cooper quickly grew comfortable. “The first two or three were scary. After that, it was fine,” he said. “As soon as I got on set, I realized I was surrounded by the right people.”
Barantini recalled that Cooper stood out immediately, “He wasn’t acting, he was just being. He’s spontaneous and listening — that’s rare.”
Cooper ultimately landed the lead role, but Graham revealed the creative team ensured other finalists were also offered parts.
“We didn’t want to break their hearts,” Graham said. “Every kid was fantastic, and we wanted them to walk away proud.”
On Emmy night, Cooper received a standing ovation as he accepted his award from Sydney Sweeney.
“It may have my name on it,” he said, “but it really belongs to the people behind the camera and all the cast.”
Alongside Cooper’s historic win, Adolescence secured eight Emmys, including Best Limited Series, Best Actor for Graham, and Best Supporting Actress for Erin Doherty.