A 16-year-old from Warrington has made history as the youngest winner of a Golden Globe, after taking home the award for best supporting male actor for his role in the Netflix drama 'Adolescence'. Owen Cooper described the experience as 'not feeling real' as he stood on stage before Hollywood's elite.
Cooper's performance in the gritty series, which explores male toxicity and has been a cultural talking point, also earned him an Emmy earlier this year. His former teacher, Esther Morgan of the Drama Mob, said his talent was evident from the start, noting he was 'not messing around' and took direction seriously.
Morgan highlighted the importance of northern representation in the industry, arguing that more productions and casting directors should base themselves outside London to give young actors from the north a fair chance. She also noted a gender imbalance in drama, with far fewer boys taking GCSE drama than girls.
However, Cooper's success is already inspiring change. Morgan reported an increase in boys joining her drama classes, with Cooper serving as a role model who proves that pursuing acting can be worthwhile. 'I think that really has helped some of those boys to just kind of go out the comfort zone,' she said.
'Adolescence' was shot in Pontefract and Sheffield and features a predominantly northern cast. Co-writer Jack Thorne expressed cautious optimism that the show's international success could pave the way for more working-class British dramas, though he acknowledged the industry's tendency to revert to safer formulas.
