On Sept. 14, Adolescence’s Owen Cooper made Emmy history as the youngest male actor to receive a Primetime Emmy Award. At just 15 years old, Cooper shook audiences with his screen debut as Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering his female classmate. Aside from his striking performance, audiences were especially baffled by the fact that this was his first-ever onscreen role. Cooper’s historic win raises conversations surrounding the importance of funding the arts for the youth, casting unknown actors, and taking the acting pursuits of young children seriously.
Cooper was handed his chance at acting success when he began taking classes at Northern England drama school, The Drama Mob. Its co-founder, Tina O’Brien, created the school in 2013 after “noticing a gap in the market for high quality drama classes in Manchester.” Funding for art programs such as ‘The Drama Mob’ is in rapid decline across the globe. The National Education Union reported that “93% of children in state schools are being excluded from the arts due to a lack of funding,” dubbing it an “art apocalypse.”
Research has found that stripping opportunities related to the arts from young children is damaging to their cognitive and social development. A recent study led by the Child of the North and the Centre for Young Lives showed that “participation in structured arts activities can increase young people’s cognitive abilities by up to 19%, and that participation in arts programs can reduce youth offending.” When young children are given the space to explore their creative interests, child prodigies like Cooper are born. A streamlined way for this to happen is by investing in small programs like The Drama Mob and countless others not covered by mainstream media.Â
The creators of Adolescence made it a point to cast unknown talent for the show’s supporting roles. During the search for young talent, the series’ director Philip Barantini told casting director Shaheen Baig that they “should look in the drama schools, youth clubs and established theater schools, but try and find someone who’s never done it before.” The crew spent months sifting through thousands of audition tapes before landing upon Cooper. What’s remarkable about his casting is that his only prior acting experience was his weekly attendance at The Drama Mob. The school’s commitment to “training and representing raw northern actors from underrepresented and diverse communities” allows unsung actors like Cooper to showcase their raw, unfiltered talent. The decision to cast Cooper as Jamie not only disproves the correlation between talent and experience but also paves the way for future underrepresented talent. If more agencies adopted this mindset, we would likely see more breakout talent.Â
Cooper’s win emphasizes the need for adults to take children seriously when they express an interest in acting or any of the creative arts. Unlike many in his industry, Cooper does not come from a family with acting experience. So when he brought up an interest in acting to his parents, they were understandably “a bit shocked,” Cooper stated. Still, Cooper’s parents were supportive of his decision and enrolled him in acting classes at The Drama Mob shortly thereafter. They kept a strong presence on the set of Adolescence, even while his mother was actively recovering from surgery. During his Emmys speech, Cooper thanked them directly, stating, “You know, a big thanks to my parents, to my mum, my dad, my family, the ones who love me, the ones who I love.” Without their continuous love and support, Cooper would not be making strides in the industry. It goes to show that when a child expresses their interest in acting, it is wise to believe them.
Children deserve an equal shot at acting success. Young people being excluded from acting opportunities due to their age is a reason for industry professionals to reevaluate their casting decisions. In the words of Professor Mark Mon-Williams, Child of The North report series editor, “It is time to recognize that creativity is not an optional extra — it is a fundamental pillar of an inclusive, opportunity-rich society.” Especially in this new age where Hollywood is ruled by nepotism, it is the responsibility of well-established actors, directors, writers, and producers to make space for talent that could chart waters, or in Cooper’s case, make history. Â