Standing before Hollywood's elite at the Golden Globes, 16-year-old Owen Cooper from Warrington described the moment as something that simply "did not feel real". Yet, the reality is that the teenager has not only conquered one of entertainment's biggest awards but is also changing perceptions for a generation of young male actors across the UK.
From Drama Mob to Global Acclaim
Cooper's win for Best Supporting Male Actor in Netflix's hard-hitting drama "Adolescence" caps a remarkable rise. The series, which dominated cultural conversations about male toxicity in 2025, was a major winner at the ceremony, taking home four awards. This follows its earlier triumph at the Emmys, where it won six awards, including one for Cooper.
His former teacher, Esther Morgan, co-founder of the Drama Mob in Warrington, says his talent and dedication were evident from the start. "You could tell he definitely wanted it," Morgan recalls. "He wasn't messing around when it came to listening, taking direction and learning his lines." She pushes back against any suggestion Cooper came from nowhere, noting he had two years of training before the rigorous "Adolescence" casting process, where he repeatedly impressed casting director Shaheen Baig.
Breaking Down Barriers for Northern and Young Male Actors
Cooper's success highlights two significant challenges within the UK's acting industry. Firstly, Morgan is a passionate advocate for northern actors, who face an increasingly uneven playing field. With an exodus from Hollywood making London an even more centralised hub, she argues opportunities are shrinking outside the capital. "More shows need to be made and produced up here," she insists. "We need more casting directors working here because for some of our young people they don't have the funds to travel up and down to London for castings."
Secondly, and perhaps more personally for Cooper, is the lack of boys in drama. On the Golden Globes stage, he revealed he was the only boy in his class at drama school, calling it "embarrassing". Morgan confirms a "huge drop-off" in boys attending classes once they reach high school, as sports like football and rugby take priority, and acting is often perceived as "cringe".
Statistics back this up: in 2025, only 17,000 boys took GCSE drama in the UK, compared to 35,700 girls, with a similar ratio at A-level. However, Cooper's very public success is already making a difference. "Since Owen going on to be so successful, we have had more boys coming to drama," says Morgan, crediting him as a vital role model.
A Northern Show with Global Reach
"Adolescence" broke UK viewing records for Netflix, with its first episode pulling in 6.45 million viewers. Yet, at its heart, it remains a gritty, distinctly northern production. Shot on location in Pontefract and Sheffield, it features a principal cast largely from the north-west, including Cooper and Stephen Graham.
Co-writer Jack Thorne, who worked closely with Cooper on a pivotal episode, is hopeful the show's international success could pave the way for more working-class British dramas. He notes that traditionally, British "accents and 'issues' were not seen as having an audience abroad". Thorne is cautiously optimistic, stating, "But who knows? TV remains quite a conservative industry."
For now, the spotlight remains firmly on Owen Cooper, the Warrington teenager whose Golden Globe win is proving that talent can come from any classroom—even if you're the only boy in it.
