The stratospheric rise of teenage actor Owen Cooper shows no signs of slowing, as the 15-year-old secures a prestigious award and graces the cover of a major American publication. Cooper, who shot to fame this year in Netflix's hard-hitting drama Adolescence, has been named Emerging Talent of the Year at the 64th Rose d'Or Awards.
A Landmark Night for a Landmark Drama
The ceremony, hosted by comedian Dara Ó Briain at London's King's Place, saw Adolescence emerge as one of the night's biggest victors. The four-part series, which was filmed in single takes, didn't just win for Cooper's performance. It also secured the top awards for Drama and the coveted Golden Rose itself.
Judges hailed the show as "an extraordinary, sector-changing achievement" and "simply the show of the year." The drama, which explores youth violence and the toxic influence of the online "manosphere," has sparked national debate, even reaching discussions in Parliament.
Accepting the award on behalf of the production, co-creator Jack Thorne emphasised the show's urgent message. "We are conducting a giant science experiment with immature brains," he said. "If you have any sort of power... please check that the teenagers you're responsible for are OK."
Cooper's Transatlantic Triumph
This accolade comes alongside a significant career milestone for the young star. Cooper is featured on the cover of New York Magazine as part of its 2025 pop culture review. The feature details his "chilling" portrayal of Jamie Miller, a role that has earned him critical praise on both sides of the Atlantic.
His Rose d'Or award for Emerging Talent formally recognises what audiences have witnessed: an exceptional breakthrough performance from an actor with a formidable future.
Celebrating Global Excellence in Television and Audio
The 2025 Rose d'Or Awards celebrated creative excellence from across the globe, with winners from Belgium, Japan, Norway, the Netherlands, Brazil, Israel, the US, and the UK. The event gathered hundreds of industry figures to honour work across 13 categories and four special awards.
Other notable UK winners included:
- BBC Two's Louis Theroux - Settlers, winning the Documentary category.
- Sky's A League of Their Own, which picked up the Studio Entertainment award.
- Channel 4's The Jury Murder Trial, winning for Factual Entertainment and Reality.
- The BBC's animated film Tiddler, which triumphed in the Children and Youth category.
Internationally, the comedy drama award went to Apple TV's The Studio, while Japan won Comedy Entertainment for Ants, and Norway's The Box took Competition Reality.
Lifetime Achievement for a National Treasure
The ceremony also paid tribute to veteran actress Anne Reid, who was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Recognised for a career spanning over six decades, from Coronation Street to Last Tango in Halifax, Reid was praised by writer Sally Wainwright for her "extraordinary quality of realness."
"I am absolutely thrilled to pieces about this award," Reid said upon accepting. "When I went to RADA in the fifties, I never dreamed that this would ever happen to me, so it's wonderful."
Mark Rowland, Chair of the Rose d'Or, congratulated all winners from a field of over 600 entries, noting the "exceptionally tough job" the judges faced. Jean Philip De Tender of the European Broadcasting Union added that this year's submissions "highlight the power of our industry to reflect the lives of diverse communities and offer audiences stories they can trust."
