Owen Cooper delivered what can best be described as a masterful breakout performance in the 2025 Netflix miniseries Adolescence. From his very first scene, Cooper commanded the audience’s attention. What was more captivating about Cooper was how he effortlessly embodied the emotional contradictions of a teenager caught between innocence and rebellion.
Although sharing screens with powerhouse English actor and producer Stephen Graham and Ashley Walters, it was a 15-year-old Cooper who single-handedly carried the four-episode miniseries with his performance. For audiences and critics alike, Cooper’s brilliance immediately marked him as one of the most exciting young English talents to watch. Here are 6 interesting facts about Owen Cooper.
Owen Cooper is From Warrington, England
Owen Cooper was born on December 5, 2009, in Warrington, Cheshire, England. While it may not be as globally recognized as its neighbors, Warrington is a historic and culturally rich town situated between the major cities of Liverpool and Manchester. Besides its industrial heritage and strategic location, Warrington is a rugby league stronghold. Its Warrington Wolves are one of the top teams in the Super League, the highest level of rugby league in Britain. Joining the growing list of actors from the town, Owen Cooper is the newest pride of Warrington.
Owen Cooper is the Only Actor in His Family
The young English actor is the first in his family to have a career in acting. Owen Cooper’s parents are everyday folks with regular jobs. Although Cooper’s father works in IT, his mother works as a Caregiver. As such, Cooper had a normal upbringing, attending his local junior and high schools. Cooper is the youngest of three, having two older brothers. He began taking weekly acting lessons, although initially as a hobby. It was during these lessons at The Drama Mob in Manchester that he developed a passion for acting.
Fellow English Actor Tom Holland Inspired Owen Cooper to Pursue Acting
Every rising star has that one spark that ignited their passion for acting. For Owen Cooper, it came from watching fellow English actor Tom Holland in the 2012 English-language Spanish biographical disaster drama movie The Impossible. Four years before he became the iconic Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the MCU, Holland played a teenager.
Holland was the son of Naomi Watts’ character, who’s trapped with his family in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Holland, who was 16 when The Impossible was released, played a 12-year-old Lucas Bennett. Although Owen Cooper was less than 3 when the movie was released, watching the film later on sowed the seed of acting in the young Warrington boy.
Owen Cooper Originally Wanted to Become a Professional Soccer Player
Like many young English kids, Owen Cooper had hoped to be a professional soccer player. To this end, he had enrolled at a soccer academy and was part of the Warrington Rylands U15 squad. The club plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division. However, he lost interest in soccer, or better put, he found a new passion. Cooper enjoyed his time and lessons at The Drama Mob theater group. While they remained supportive of his decision to become an actor, Cooper’s parents had believed his weekly acting classes were merely a hobby.
Owen Cooper Beat Over 500 Young Actors to Land His Adolescence Role
Besides being his breakout role, the Netflix Adolescence miniseries is Owen Cooper’s professional debut role. This, coupled with his young age, makes his superb performance more gratifying to watch. Stephen Graham, who co-created the show, sought an unknown actor from Northern England.
Graham and producers approached The Drama Mob, co-created by Coronation Street actress Tina O’Brien. There, Cooper was one of several students presented. Graham and the producers visited the theater several times to narrow down candidates for the auditions. Cooper immediately impressed Graham and unsurprisingly beat over 500 other candidates to land the role.
Owen Cooper’s Accolades & Career Future
Unsurprisingly, Owen Cooper’s performance in Adolescence earned him recognition from award institutions. Cooper was nominated for and won Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie, Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited Series, and Breakthrough Award at the Astra TV Awards, Gotham TV Awards, and IndieWire Honors, respectively.
For such a talented young actor, Cooper’s future looks bright. He’s been cast as the young Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell’s upcoming 2026 gothic psychological drama Wuthering Heights. Australian actor Jacob Elordi plays the older Heathcliff, with fellow Australian actress Margot Robbie portraying Catherine Earnshaw. Before his film debut in 2026, Owen Cooper will star in the upcoming 2025 British series Film Club.
Follow Us
