Owen Cooper made history at the 2026 Golden Globe awards. The Adolescence star has become the youngest person to win the award for best supporting actor in a TV series at 16 years old.
“Standing here at the Golden Globes does not feel real whatsoever,” Cooper said in his acceptance speech from the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday night. “What an unbelievable journey my family and I have been through.We are forever grateful for what these peopel have done for my family and me.”
“What started out as something I thought I might be okay at, or maybe awful at – I never knew – so I took a risk and went to drama classes.I was the only boy there, it was embarrassing, but I got through it,” Cooper continued to laughter and applause from the audience. “But I’m still very much an apprentice. I’m still learning every day. I’m still learning from the people who inspire me, both those standing before you and those standing beside me.I wouldn’t be here without you guys.”
Cooper’s win for his role in the Stephen Graham Netflix limited series also makes him the second youngest male actor to win a Golden globe, following Ricky Schroder, who was 9 years old when he won the award for new star of the year in a motion picture for his role in the 1980 film The Champ. Glee star Chris Colfer previously held the record for the youngest winner in the best supporting actor in a TV series category, winning the award at the age of 20 in 2010.
Also nominated for the best supporting actor in a TV series award were Ashley Walters (Adolescence), Billy Crudup (The Morning Show), Trammell Tillman (severance), and Jason Isaacs and Walton Goggins (The White Lotus).See the full list of 2026 Golden Globe winners here.
Golden Globes producer Dick Clark Productions is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge that also owns The Hollywood Reporter.
