Adolescence picks up six awards at the 77th Emmy Awards

Adolescence star Owen Cooper has become the youngest male actor to win an Emmy, earning the award for his role in the British Netflix drama.

Cooper, who had already made history as the youngest person ever nominated for supporting actor in a limited series, told the audience at the 77th Emmy Awards that he was “nothing” just three years ago.

“Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind here,” the English actor said in his acceptance speech.

“But I think tonight proves that if you listen and you focus and you step out of your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life.”

Hollywood stars arrived at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday night for the ceremony, hosted by US comedian Nate Bargatze.

“It says my name on the statue, but it really belongs to all of the people who worked on the show,” Cooper said.

Co-stars Erin Doherty won best supporting actress in a limited series, dedicating the award to her older sister and Stephen Graham picked up the award for lead actor in a limited series.

“I’m just a mixed-race kid from a block of flats in a place called Kirkby,” Graham told the audience.

“So, for me to be here today in front of my peers and to be acknowledged by you is the utmost humbling thing I could ever imagine in my life, and it shows you that any dream is possible.”

Severance was nominated 27 times, while crime drama mini-series The Penguin had 24 nominations and Adolescence received 13.

The British drama, which dominated Netflix’s most-watched list earlier this year, centres on the story of a 13-year-old boy arrested for the murder of a classmate.

Adolescence director Philip Barantini took home the Emmy for outstanding directing for a limited or anthology series or movie, while writers Jack Thorne and lead actor Graham won for outstanding writing in the same category.

“To Netflix, thank you for trusting us with this mad idea,” Barantini said while accepting his award.

Adolescence also took home the gong for best limited or anthology series.

The night’s other major winners included Seth Rogen’s The Studio, which took home awards for best directing, best comedy series, best writing and outstanding actor in a comedy series.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver picked up two awards for variety series and outstanding scripted variety series.

Severance star Tramell Tillman made history as the first black man to win the Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series, while his co-star Britt Lower won the award for outstanding lead actress in the same category.

The Pitt won best drama series, with its stars Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa taking home awards for outstanding lead actor and supporting actress, respectively.

In his opening address, host Bargatze announced that he would donate 100,000 dollars (£73,752) to the Boys and Girls Club of America.

But if speeches ran for more than 45 seconds, he deducted 1000 dollars (£737) from the total amount being donated, while speeches under the time limit would add more money to the total.

“I know, it’s brutal,” he said. “This is a game I’ve made up and these are rules.”

But with the speeches running over, the donation limit went “way down”, Bargatze told the crowd in his closing monologue.

“The number, I’ll be honest, it was embarrassing. It went way down. And I don’t know, I can’t imagine ever doing this again,” host Nate Bargatze said.

“So CBS is going to add 100,000 dollars (£73,752). I will give 250,000 dollars (£185,000). It takes us to 350,000 dollars (£259,000) to the Boys & Girls Club.”

Dame Maggie Smith, musicians Ozzy Osbourne and Quincy Jones, Gossip Girl actress Michelle Trachtenberg and director David Lynch were among the famous faces honoured in an In Memoriam slideshow.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which was controversially cancelled earlier this year, won the award for outstanding talk series.

“And that’s related to love, because sometimes you only truly know how much you love something when you get a sense that you might be losing it,” Colbert told the crowd, who kicked off his speech to cheers of “Stephen” from his team onstage.

“Ten years later, in September of 2025, my friends, I have never loved my country more desperately. God bless America. Stay strong. Be brave, and if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy and punch a higher floor.”

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