Adolescence to adulation in six 'surreal' months

IT'S every teenager's dream to meet their Hollywood idols but for Owen Cooper it was just another night in the young actor's stellar rise.

- By Chris Riches

The 15-year-old was plucked from dramaclass obscurity to star in Adolescence and scooped the outstanding supporting actor Emmy for his performance as fictional child killer Jamie Miller.

He became the youngest male to win the prize.

But despite mingling with some of the biggest names in the business, he is set to be back at his Catholic school tomor row as he continues studying for his GCSEs. On stage the stunned schoolboy said: "Standing up here is just, wow.

Focus

"It's just so surreal.

When I started these drama classes a couple of years back, I didn't expect to even be in the United States, never mind here."

Owen, whose character fatally stabs a girl from his school, added: "Tonight proves if you listen and you focus and step out of your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life. Who cares if you get embarrassed? Anything can be possible. I was nothing about three years ago, I'm here now."

The teen, from Warrington, Cheshire, also thanked his family, co-stars and the series' production team, adding: "It may have my name on this, but it really belongs to the people behind the camera."