ADOLESCENCE star Owen Cooper has earned a major honor as the youngest male winner ever at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards.
The actor nabbed the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
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Adolescence star Owen Cooper made history at the 77th Primetime Emmy AwardsCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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Actress Sydney Sweeney presented the award to the young actorCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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He was the youngest male winner in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieCredit: Reuters
This was also the first nomination for the 15-year-old.
Owen tearfully hugged his parents and colleagues before approaching the stage where actress Sydney Sweeney presented him with the gold trophy.
He then delivered a heartfelt speech, acknowledging all those who had worked on the project.
His words touched host Nate Bargatze, who appeared to stop the countdown he’d set during his opening monologue, penalizing those who went over the allotted 45-second acceptance speeches.
The comedian jokingly threatened to take away money from his $100,000 donation to the Boys and Girls Club for every second an Emmy winner extended their speech.
Owen, however, didn’t have those same rules, despite it being an ongoing bit throughout the show.
Nate addressed the change in rules afterward, revealing that he hadn’t penalized the teenager, although his speech had exceeded the time limit.
Owen was up against some heavy hitters in the category, including his co-star Ashley Walters, Presumed Innocent’s Bill Camp and Peter Sarsgaard, Javier Bardem in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and Rob Delaney for Dying for Sex.
Before Owen, the youngest actor to win the award was then-23-year-old Michael A. Goorjian, for his portrayal in 1994’s David’s Mother.
Adolescence premiered on Netflix in March 2025 and also stars Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, and Faye Marsay.
Sydney Sweeney leads the glamour as stars walk the red carpet for the 2025 Emmys
The psychological drama had gained recognition not only for its intense storyline but also for its impressive filming.
All four episodes of the series were shot in one continuous take, with no cuts.
Owen played Jaime, a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering his classmate in Northern England.
Ahead of the star-studded awards ceremony, the young star spoke with People about making his acting debut on the project.
2025 EMMYS NOMINEE’S GIFT BAG
The Emmy Awards Giving Suite will provide an exclusive backstage experience for presenters, nominees, and winners with a generous swag bag worth a fortune. The gifting suite will be open on Emmys rehearsal days as well as during the live telecast on Sept. 14. Among some of the items the stars will get to take home include:
Miage Skincare set – $200
Alma hair restoration treatment – $3,900
Hasbro game pack – $150
Krovblit Fine Art – ranges from $100 to $10,000
Peta x Miomojo vegan leather bag – $400
Beboe marijuana basket – $300
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DESUAR day spa experience – $400
Helight Sleep device – $140
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Blended Scotch Whisky – $230
LifeRegen skincare bundle – $200
Senorita THC-infused drinks – $100
SKANDINAVISK candles – $150
Training Loft personalized training, coaching, nutrition & wellness services for one month – $1,000
“It’s my first role — it’ll be the best role of my life,” Owen gushed to the outlet.
“It was the best summer of my life to film, and I just can’t wait to be there on the night of the Emmys. I can’t wait.”
The U.S. Sun exclusively revealed in March that the streamer is exploring options to extend the series after its rave reviews.
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Owen portrays a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering his classmate in AdolescenceCredit: Courtesy of Netflix.
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Adolescence premiered on Netflix in March 2025Credit: Courtesy of Netflix.
Hannah Cooper is TV presenter Joel Dommett’s wifeCredit: Getty
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Joel is hosting the National Television Awards for the fifth consecutive year in 2025Credit: ITV
Who is Joel Dommett’s wife Hannah Cooper?
British model Hannah Cooper met husband Joel Dommett when she drunkenly messaged him with a cat emoji on Instagram, shortly after he appeared on I’m A Celeb in 2016.
Discussing the wedding with OK! in February 2020, Joel said: “It was honestly so fun.
“I was fully prepared to say it was the best day of my life and pretend it was — because I’ve been lucky enough to do Bake Off and I’ve had these amazing experiences in my life — but it was genuinely the best day of my life!
Joel Dommett reveals huge NTA’s shake-up that will shock fans
“We had 28 people there. Some people have weddings where half the day is saying hi and bye to people.
“I wanted our closest friends and family to have a wonderful time.”
Not long after they began dating, Joel released a memoir – It’s Not Me It’s Them: Confessions Of A Hopeless Modern Romance – which charts romantic encounters with 40 women before he met Hannah.
The mum guilt thing is real, definitely, and if I’m not feeling guilty, then Joel will be feeling guilty, so we’re probably not that helpful to each other.
Speaking to The Sun about being a mum for the first time, Hannah told us: “The mum guilt thing is real, definitely, and if I’m not feeling guilty, then Joel will be feeling guilty, so we’re probably not that helpful to each other.
“There are times when he’ll say, ‘I’ll look after Wilde. Go out and have fun’. Then he’ll send me a message saying, ‘Look at this photo of Wilde’, and I’ll go, ‘Damn it, I was in the zone with the girls’.
“It is difficult managing it but you’ve got to switch off and take an hour for yourself, then you’ll feel better for it.”
Talking about the possibility of another child, she added: “I really would love to, but Joel before was like, ‘one is good’.
“One means we’re in control, and we can totally manage that.
“But now Wilde is here, I would totally love another one.
“I feel like Joel is Wilde’s sibling. I feel like there is enough fun in the house, and there is enough drama and energy going on.”
Joel Dommett’s career so far
Joel started out as an actor, landing small roles in shows including Casualty, Inspector Lynley and Skins.
But the funnyman has also presented or taken part in other big shows, such as:
Opening up on fronting this year’s ceremony, he said: “The NTAs are 30 years old and the party planning starts here!
“Star guests? Check. All our best-loved shows? Check. My payment? Cheque. Join us at London’s O2 to mark this extra special evening!”
And on what he thinks about 2025’s prize shortlist, he added: “It’s the best the shortlist has ever been since I’ve hosted it. I genuinely don’t know which way it’s going to go.
“That’s what’s really exciting about the NTAs — it’s shows, those things that are loved by the public.
“It’s not decided by a panel or a committee. It’s the people at home — it’s what they like, it’s what they watch.”
When actor Cooper Hoffman pops up on a Zoom window for a joint interview, Andrew Barth Feldman practically bursts with joy.
“Oh my God,” Feldman exclaims. “Look at the buzz!”
The two friends, each in their own apartments in New York City, have not seen each other since Hoffman recently returned from Italy where he was shooting a role in Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming movie about the artificial intelligence company OpenAI, his hair styled in a severe, dark buzz cut.
The pair immediately launch into a spirited, rhythmic back-and-forth, playfully bouncing around ideas, making jokes and finishing each other’s sentences. It is similar to the nonstop banter between their duo in “Poetic License,” which has its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival tonight.
The first feature film directed by Maude Apatow, best known for her role on TV’s “Euphoria,” the film stars Apatow’s mother, Leslie Mann, as Liz, a woman who recently moved to a college town after her husband (Cliff “Method Man” Smith) joined the faculty there. Auditing a poetry class, Liz meets Ari (Hoffman) and Sam (Feldman), two awkward yet compellingly charming best friends who soon find themselves competing for her attention and affection.
Written by Raffi Donatich, the film is the first from Jewelbox Pictures, Apatow’s production company founded with her friend Olivia Rosenbloom, and comes into the festival still seeking distribution. (Keeping things in the family, the debuting director’s father, Judd Apatow, is a producer on the film as well.)
Via email, Maude Apatow spoke about the challenge of finding two actors who could not only play their individual roles, but also capture the speedy dynamic between them.
“A lot of the movie relies on the chemistry between Ari and Sam, so finding the perfect combo was massively important to me,” Apatow, 27, said. “After auditioning countless other boys, Andrew and Cooper were at the top of my list. … They were electric.”
Hoffman, 22, the son of late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman and director-producer Mimi O’Donnell, first burst to attention with his starring role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2021 “Licorice Pizza.” He can also be seen in the new Stephen King adaptation “The Long Walk,” which opens next week, and he has a role in Gregg Araki’s upcoming “I Want Your Sex.”
Feldman, 23, stepped into the title role of “Dear Evan Hansen” on Broadway at age 16, younger even than the adolescent title character. He also starred opposite Jennifer Lawrence in the 2023 comedy “No Hard Feelings,” in which his torchy showstopping performance of Hall & Oates’ bouncy ’80s “Maneater” has since racked up more than 18 million views on YouTube.
My conversation with the two actors took place on Labor Day. The following day Feldman began his nine-week run in the Tony-winning musical “Maybe Happy Ending.” Though playing the role of a robot, his casting, replacing the half-Filipino actor Darren Criss, sparked controversy and conversation around Asian representation on Broadway.
“It’s been the most vulnerable time of my whole entire life,” said Feldman of the response to his being cast in the show. “And I have much I want to say and for now the only place I really can is the show. I’m saying everything that I want to say, everything that I believe, I’m pouring my whole heart into the show itself. And I’m thankful that the conversation that’s been happening is happening. And I think this is my way of being part of it.”
“And one day we’ll have a much bigger conversation about it,” he adds, carefully. “But right now, I’m more excited to be talking about ‘Poetic License’ and anything would be reductive to the conversation to talk about it in this context. I don’t think it’s up to me to try to change any minds about it, only to do the best job I possibly can at uplifting this gorgeous, perfect story. Everything that I have to say for the time being is in the show. The show holds all of it.”
Feldman will miss three performances of the show over the weekend due to being in Toronto for the premiere of “Poetic License.”
Did the two of you meet making Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night?”
Andrew Barth Feldman: Boy, did we.
Cooper Hoffman: We also got this job [“Poetic License”] on “Saturday Night.”
Feldman: So here’s the story. We’ve been preparing to tell it for so long. And this is what happened: We became really fast, really close friends on “Saturday Night” and that was a huge cast of a lot of people who are still huge parts of both of our lives. But we clicked really instantly.
And I was taping for this movie and Cooper was taping for this movie, and we both loved the script and, especially on that set, everyone was taping for all of the same things all of the time. So I got a call from my agent that they were asking me to chemistry-read with Cooper and since we were in the same place, might as well be convenient if we just do it in the same place on Zoom. Cooper was on his way to hanging out with me at Dylan O’Brien’s Airbnb. I was already there and Cooper’s on his way. So I called him, told him that this was happening. That’s how he found out that we were chemistry-reading together. And I think both of us said, “Oh, we got the job.” Like, that’s it. As soon as they see what we do when we’re alone together and how insane it is, we’ll have this job. And that’s how it happened.
Hoffman: It’s so true. We ended up running the lines with Dylan O’Brien playing — I don’t know why we keep using his full name — but Dylan playing Leslie Mann’s character. Dylan played Liz.
Feldman: He was really good. I was kind of hoping he would do it.
Andrew Barth Feldman, attending the London premiere of “No Hard Feelings” in 2023.
(John Phillips / Getty Images for Sony Pictures)
Why do you think the two of you just clicked like this?
Feldman: Why do you love who you love? I think there are a lot of real similarities to us. We both had losses of parents really early on in our lives. And that I think instantly brought us to a level of vulnerability with each other that we didn’t necessarily have with other people. But in terms of the candor and the rhythm that we have with each other, it’s just kind of feels like one of those universe once-in-a-lifetime things.
Hoffman: I would very much agree. It was one of those weird things where, as we had to play best friends, we were kind of figuring each other out. Andrew was always someone that I felt very comfortable talking to about things. We rarely would talk about the movie. It was much more about life and other things. And I feel very privileged to have shot this movie with Andrew, actually.
There is something really fresh about your dynamic. The best I can describe the movie is that it’s an adult coming of age rom-com of male friendship.
Hoffman: I would say that’s better than anything that we would say. To me, the thing is that I love a male friendship. I love a male friendship that almost feels like they’re dating, they’re one step away from being married. And what does that bring? What happens when you rely on someone so heavily?
Cooper Hoffman arrives at 2022’s Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)
Feldman: I feel like we both had relationships growing up that you’re basically zero degrees away from romance. It is a romantic relationship. And that is — or was, I guess? — formerly maybe more taboo. There are more expectations of masculinity around that. But I think especially in our generation and especially as people who have decided to do art with our lives, there’s really no taboo around it at all. And in fact, something to be really celebrated. It is kind of the healing factor for young men right now: male relationships that you can be really vulnerable in.
And besides being Sam and Ari’s relationship, it was — and is — Cooper’s and my relationship. We couldn’t shut up really. I mean, that’s important to note is that we never, ever stopped talking. We would be talking and talking and then somewhere during our conversation we would hear action be called and we would just keep talking until we found our way into the scene. Kind of the way we did the whole movie was just trying to tell as much truth as possible because we knew that our relationship was all that really needed to be there to make the relationship of the characters work.
Hoffman: I also just had a thought that this interview’s going to be so annoying to read because it’s literally just going to be me and Andrew complimenting each other for however long. You should have never put us on a call together.
Feldman: This is our first interview about this.
Cooper Hoffman in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2021 movie “Licorice Pizza.”
(MGM/UA)
How did the two of you find working with Maude? On the one hand, this is her feature directing debut. On the other hand, she’s been on movie sets her whole life.
Feldman: She was really good. In all of those moments of improvisation and exploring, she was a massive collaborator in that. And was pushing both of us to places that I wouldn’t have gone initially, risky places in these scenes. Every time we would shoot something, we’d do it, go away and talk about it for 10 minutes and just be inventing and zip-zap-zopping across the three of us, and then just be like, OK, let’s go get another one. It was this really creative process that for me as a young person coming up in this industry, I haven’t really had permission to participate in up until working with somebody like Maude. She’s not too much older than us. We’re all coming at this as collaborators as opposed to hierarchically.
Hoffman: The thing with Maude is there was a real level playing field in which we were all figuring out this thing together. And Maude just has inherently very good instincts as a director. She was grounded and she knew what she wanted, but she was much more open for us to go, “Hey, we don’t know what this is. Can we figure this thing out?” And it was debatably the most collaborative set I’ve been on. Which was really great that Maude allowed for that space to happen.
Cooper, do you see your character here as an extension of what you were doing in “Licorice Pizza”? It’s this guy who outwardly has a lot of game, but then inwardly is struggling. Did it feel that way to you as you were performing the role?
Hoffman: No. And here’s the reason for that, I’m not opposed to that convo but I think a real fear of an actor is that you’re doing the same thing every time. And so I think I’m inherently going to jump to being like, “No, this is a completely different person.” And the thing is, I don’t think Ari has game. I never wanted to play it like that. I think he’s extremely confident, but, not to bring up Dylan O’Brien again but Dylan O’Brien used a very good metaphor, which is you’re like a duck. It’s calm on the surface, paddling vigorously underneath. And it does feel like that for Ari.
Andrew Barth Feldman with Jennifer Lawrence in a scene from “No Hard Feelings.”
(Macall Polay / Sony Pictures)
Andrew, you have your own background in musical theater, but you also had your rendition of “Maneater” in “No Hard Feelings.” Do people now always want you to do a number in a movie? Was there any discussion of you doing a number in this one?
Feldman: There was very briefly a discussion of me doing a number in this movie. I think I was talking to Raffi early on and she was like, “Oh my God, I had this idea, what if you actually sing this thing?” And I was like, I can’t do another one. Not right now. It’s too soon after “Maneater” and “Maneater” is still a really huge part of my life. I want to give that moment its moment.
What do you mean, that “Maneater” is still a big part of your life?
Feldman: People ask me to sing it all the time.
Hoffman: What do you mean? It’s a masterpiece. I watched it on a plane the other day. I cried. I literally cried. I love that scene so much. I love that movie so much.
Guys, thank you for your time. I can’t even imagine how this would’ve worked if I’d interviewed you separately.
Feldman: We wouldn’t have done it.
Cooper: I would’ve just talked about Andrew the whole time. By the way, if you would’ve gotten us in the room together, this interview would’ve never ended. It would’ve been physical bits. It would’ve been a whole thing.
Feldman: We talked on set so much about these moments — that we would get to eventually do press together and talk about the movie because we really were, from the beginning, giving one performance of these two characters together.
Yvette Cooper previously said that some supporters of Palestine Action “don’t know the full nature” of the group
The home secretary has again defended the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist group, saying it is more than “a regular protest group known for occasional stunts”.
Writing in the Observer, Yvette Cooper said the group had claimed responsibility for incidents that saw those allegedly involved subsequently charged with a range of crimes, including violent disorder and aggravated burglary.
She added that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had assessed these charges have a “terrorism connection”.
Her comments come after the Metropolitan Police said on Friday that a further 60 people would be prosecuted for showing support for Palestine Action.
More than 700 people have been arrested since the group was banned by the government on 5 July – including more than 500 at a demonstration in central London last week.
The Met added that more prosecutions were expected in the coming weeks and that arrangements had been put in place “that will enable us to investigate and prosecute significant numbers each week if necessary”.
Palestine Action has engaged in activities that have predominantly targeted arms companies since the start of the current war in Gaza.
Cooper moved to ban the group after activists from the group caused an estimated £7m of damage to jets at RAF Brize Norton in June.
The home secretary said while many were aware of that incident, fewer would be aware of other incidents for which the group had claimed responsibility.
Cooper also referenced a so-called “Underground Manual” from the group, which she said “encourages the creation of cells, provides practical guidance on how to identify targets to attack and how to evade law enforcement”.
“These are not the actions of a legitimate protest group,” Cooper said.
She also reiterated a comment made to the BBC earlier this week that some people who were supporting Palestine Action out of concern for the humanitarian situation in Gaza were not aware of the true nature of the group.
“No-one should allow desperate calls for peace in the Middle East to be derailed into a campaign to support one narrow group involved in violence here in the UK,” Cooper said.
The government’s banning of Palestine Action means membership of or support for the group became a criminal offence, carrying a sentence of up to 14 years.
Last month, the group won permission to challenge the ban and its case will be heard in the High Court in November. It argues that the ban breaches the right to free speech and has acted as a gag on legitimate protest.
Rights groups have also been critical both of the proscribing of Palestine Action as a terrorist group and of the subsequent arrest of hundreds of people.
Amnesty International’s chief executive, Sacha Deshmukh, earlier this week suggested the response to last weekend’s protest was disproportionate.
“We have long criticised UK terrorism law for being excessively broad and vaguely worded and a threat to freedom of expression. These arrests demonstrate that our concerns were justified,” he said.
The UK is not one of Israel’s main suppliers of arms but does provide some parts for the F-35 jet – state-of-the-art multi-role fighter that has been used extensively by Israel to strike Gaza.
The Royal Air Force (RAF) has also flown hundreds of surveillance flights over Gaza since December 2023, reportedly using Shadow R1 spy planes based at an RAF base in Akrotiri in nearby Cyprus.
But the foreign secretary has insisted that the flights have not led to the sharing of any military intelligence with the Israeli military.
Fifth in a series of stories profiling top high school football players by position. Today, Cooper Javorsky, San Juan Hills offensive lineman.
It wasn’t until last March when 17-year-old offensive tackle Cooper Javorsky of San Juan Hills High received his first football scholarship offer.
By May, there were 15 and counting. Any college recruiter who dropped by spring practice to see his size or view his game film from 2024 when he didn’t give up any sacks immediately knew what they were witnessing.
In the recruiting world, it’s called “blowing up.”
“He’s had a tremendous offseason,” coach Robert Frith said.
By early June, he had committed to UCLA with the outlook to one day play center.
He set a school record by bench pressing 405 pounds. He grew to 6 feet 4 1/2 and 295 pounds. He made it to the second day of CIF wrestling in the heavyweight division and competed in the shotput and discus during the track and field season.
“I’ve been lifting two to three times a day,” Javorsky said. “I’ve been trying to eat right. I haven’t had much time with friends, but at the end of the day, I’m working toward a goal, and I want that really bad. I’m working really hard to play in college and hopefully going to the league.’
He certainly has college sports success in his family. Older brother Jake, who was a standout linebacker for San Juan Hills, plays for Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. Two older sisters played softball and soccer for Northern Colorado and UC Irvine, respectively.
Cooper Javorsky of San Juan Hills has grown to 6 feet 4.5 and 295 pounds and become a college football line prospect.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
As the “baby” in the family, Cooper got lucky.
“I definitely got the size genetics,” he said.
He got to play with Jake when he was a sophomore and admires his determination as a linebacker.
“He’s nuts,” Javorsky said. “He’s knocked out kids before. It’s hard to beat him.”
Jake used to “whip him” if there were any family squabbles. “I’m only recently bigger,” Javorsky said. “He was always so strong.“
As San Juan Hills’ starting right tackle, Javorsky has the assignment of protecting the blind side of left-handed quarterback Timmy Herr. The responsibility came even though he’s only been playing tackle football since he was in eighth grade.
All those other sports he plays helps in football.
“With shotput, it’s a pure explosion sport,” he said. “In discus, you have to learn technique. It helps with footwork and the mental aspect. Wrestling is footwork and hand placement and overall knowledge of where your body is and where your feet are.”
Frith sees a player with a bright future in football.
“I’m really proud of him and his hard work,” he said. “He did a phenomenal job last season but wasn’t done physically. He’s still growing.”
As his college options increased, Javorsky planned to embrace any and all opportunities.
“I want to meet everyone,” he said.
Then he decided to end the recruitment on June 12 with his commitment to UCLA, the same school where former San Juan Hills and NFL lineman Sean Rhyan came from.
To see his hard work pay off and see college recruiters validating his growth as a player and person is what Javorsky is most grateful for.
“It was a dream and now has become reality,” he said. “I’m thankful for my dad, my brother, my coach. It’s a very humbling moment.”
Sunday: Sierra Canyon defensive lineman Mikhal Johnson.
Offensive linemen to watch
Elisha Faamatuainu, Murrieta Valley, 6-5, 300, Sr.: Cal commit proved himself last season with versatility
Kaden Franco, St. John Bosco, 6-4, 295, Jr.: He’s finally healthy, so beware next two seasons
Blake Graham, Leuzinger, 6-3, 280, Sr.: Cal Poly commit has the size and athleticism to dominate
Kodi Greene, Mater Dei, 6-6, 320, Sr.: Washington commit was top linemen in Trinity League last season
Josh Haney, JSerra, 6-4, 280, Sr.: Fresno St. commit fits well with JSerra’s tradition of producing top linemen
Cooper Javorsky, San Juan Hills, 6-4, 295, Sr.: UCLA commit keeps growing and improving
Lucas Rhoa, Orange Lutheran, 6-4, 280, Jr.: Making impressive strides to improve
Sam Utu, Orange Lutheran, 6-5, 295, Sr.: Alabama commit is nasty blocker
Elisha Mueller, Servite, 6-4, 300, So.: College coaches will be standing in line to recruit him
Malik White, Rancho Cucamonga, 6-5, 310, Sr.: San Diego State commit has great work ethic
Over the course of her three-decade career, Chloë Sevigny has built an eclectic résumé playing complex women whom she describes as “the moral compass” or “the salt of the earth” in a story.
But in the second season of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s “Monsters,” which reexamines the story of the Menendez family for a new generation, Sevigny plays the role of victim and villain in equal measure. An unflinching exploration of abuse and privilege, the Netflix limited series reconsiders the lives of Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik Menendez (Cooper Koch), who were convicted in the 1989 killing of their wealthy parents, José (Javier Bardem) and Mary Louise a.k.a. Kitty (Sevigny).
“The most challenging part was that each episode was a different person’s idea of her, so I had to switch gears as to who I think she was to serve the way that they were telling the story,” Sevigny says. “I’ve never had to do that before, and as an actor, you want to find the truth of the character, and then there was, of course, not one singular truth to her. And plus, nobody really knows what happens.”
After working together on two seasons of “American Horror Story” and then “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans,” Sevigny received a call from Murphy, who felt strongly that she should play the mysterious Menendez matriarch.
“From the very get-go, he pitched me having this opus kind of episode, where I get to really examine alcoholism and abuse and a lot of complicated issues that people don’t necessarily like to face,” Sevigny says of the sixth episode, which chronicles José and Kitty’s relationship against the backdrop of family therapy sessions. “I think that’s not how we justify doing these kinds of [true-crime stories], but we hope that they can give someone the courage to speak out if they are in a position where they’re being mistreated.”
Sevigny with Javier Bardem in “Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story.”
(Netflix)
As one of New York’s “It” girls of the ’90s, Sevigny barely spent any time at home watching television, but she still remembers seeing photographs of the Menendez brothers during their murder trials on the front pages of newsstands. In preparation for the part, Sevigny revisited the era. She read writer Dominick Dunne’s buzzy Vanity Fair stories about the trials. She read a few books about Kitty’s upbringing, which revealed her history of self-medicating. She even watched the brothers’ trial testimony, in which they alleged that José had sexually abused them as children.
At a Vanity Fair party, Sevigny met a director whose wife had been close friends with Kitty and claimed that Kitty had genuinely loved her children. But while “Monsters” offers a brief glimpse of maternal love at the very end, the series as a whole takes a decidedly different approach.
“There were aspects of the character that I tried to lean into that I thought, ‘Oh, you don’t often see a mother complain about her children in the way that she does, like, “I hate my kids. They ruined my life.”’ There are certain things that you never, or rarely, see on TV,” Sevigny says. What was more difficult for her to wrap her head around was the thought of a mother who is willfully blind to child abuse: “What kind of person does that, and how do you access that kind of emotion, or the strength, for lack of a better word, or the cowardice to behave in that way in those certain situations?
(Larsen&Talbert / For The Times)
“The series is also an examination of the cycles of abuse and how hard it is for people to break out of those cycles,” adds Sevigny, who found it easy to act frightened when confronted with Bardem’s high intensity. “She had been abused, and her mother had been abused by her father. Her mother left her father, and she was raised without a dad. I think that can often be a reason for women to stay with their husbands because they think, ‘Oh, maybe just having a father around outweighs the abuse,’ which is not true, obviously.”
“Monsters” has not been without controversy, however. Last September, Erik publicly criticized the series for its inaccuracies and for implying an incestuous relationship between him and Lyle. (Erik has formed a bond with Koch, with whom he has remained in touch, and Lyle has since commended the series for helping viewers understand the long-term effects of child abuse.)
“The Netflix team had given us all these talking points, and we were supposed to stay very disengaged [from the brothers] — and Cooper did not listen to them,” Sevigny recalls with a laugh. “I was like, ‘Wow, this young boy, this is his first [big] thing, and he’s coming out the gate just speaking his mind.’ Being a woman and an actress, and growing up in the ’90s, we were all silenced and muzzled in a way, so it’s interesting to watch these young people have the agency and advocacy to speak up for themselves.”
In May, the brothers were resentenced to 50 years to life in prison, which makes them eligible for parole. Sevigny is no stranger to being part of zeitgeisty shows, having played one of the wives of a polygamous fundamentalist Mormon in HBO’s “Big Love” around the time that Warren Jeffs was convicted of child sexual assault: “You want to make art, hopefully, that gets people talking and engaged, and I think [‘Monsters’] has done that to the umpteenth.”
Sevigny found out that she had been nominated for her first Emmy while driving to the airport in Los Angeles, where she has been shooting Peacock’s “The Five-Star Weekend” opposite Jennifer Garner. The actor ultimately sees the show’s 11 total nominations as an acknowledgment of Murphy’s enduring creative vision.
“I respect all the diverse shows that he makes, and that he hires the same actors, artisans and craftsmen over and over. To validate his choice in me for that part also felt really important, because I think that he sticks his neck out for people a lot,” says Sevigny, who celebrated the achievement with a small Champagne toast during her flight back to New York. “The kinds of stories that he’s trying to tell are often challenging and people shy away from them, and the work that he does is important. And now maybe he’ll hire me again!”
Yvette Cooper calls for ‘more transparency’ over the background of suspects charged with crimes
Guidance for police on sharing the immigration status and ethnicity of crime suspects “needs to change”, the home secretary has said, following calls for details to be released of two men charged over the alleged rape of a 12-year-old in Warwickshire.
Yvette Cooper said guidelines on disclosing personal information were being reviewed, but it is up to individual police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service to decide what is released.
The men under suspicion of the allegedrape are reportedly Afghan. Warwickshire County Council’s Reform UK leader claims they are asylum seekers.
Police have not confirmed this. Nigel Farage called the police’s decision not to publish the details a “cover-up”.
Asked if she believed such information should be in the public domain, Cooper told the BBC: “We do want to see more transparency in cases, we think local people do need to have more information.”
Warwickshire Police has previously said once someone is charged with an offence, the force follows national guidance that does not include sharing ethnicity or immigration status.
The two men accused of the offence in Warwickshire are Ahmad Mulakhil, who has been charged with two counts of rape, and Mohammad Kabir, who has been accused of kidnap, strangulation and aiding and abetting the rape of a girl aged under 13.
Mr Mulakhil, 23, appeared before magistrates in Coventry on 28 July, and Mr Kabir, also 23, appeared in court on Saturday.
Both were remanded in custody.
In a statement, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: “It is essential to state that policing decisions – such as whether to release details about a suspect – must follow national guidance and legal requirements.”
He added that he would not speculate on the personal circumstances of those involved while court proceedings were active.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Tuesday about the alleged rape in Warwickshire, the home secretary said it was “an operational decision” how much information could be revealed in the middle of a live investigation but said “we do want to see greater transparency”.
She later told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We do think the guidance needs to change”.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch agreed that the ethnicity and immigration status of suspects should be revealed.
Badenoch warned that the public would “start losing faith in the justice system and police if they feel things are being hidden.”
She said that police and home secretary were “saying different things” on the issue and that she is “not convinced we’ll see that transparency.”
‘Most officers want that information out there’
Emily Spurrell, chair of the Association Of Police And Crime Commissioners, told the BBC that police had had “a very difficult job in these kinds of instances”.
“Most officers I speak to want to get that information out there, they know the public want to know what’s going on, who’s being held to account,” she added.
But she said police were trying to “walk that line” of going public with information and ensuring suspects had access to a fair trial.
The Law Commission is conducting a review into what information or opinions someone should lawfully be able to publish after a suspect has been arrested.
Following a government request, it has agreed to speed up its reporting on the parts of the review that relate to what the government and law enforcement can do to counter misinformation, including where there are possible public order consequences of failing to do so.
The Southport murders committed by Axel Rudakubana in July last year led to speculation about the suspect’s ethnicity and immigration status.
False rumours spread online that he was a Muslim asylum seeker, fuelling widespread rioting in the aftermath of the killings.
An independent watchdog concluded in March that failure to share basic facts about the Southport killer led to “dangerous fictions” which helped spark rioting.
Jonathan Hall KC, the UK’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said it would have been “far better” for the authorities to share more accurate detail on the arrest of Rudakubana.
He said the “ineffectual near silence” from police, prosecutors and the government after the attacks led to disinformation that sparked the rioting.
Merseyside Police took a different approach last June after a car drove into crowds during Liverpool’s Premier League victory parade – they confirmed soon after the incident that they had arrested a “white British man”.
The Battle of Orgreave, on 18 June 1984, was the bloodiest day of the year-long miners’ strike
A national inquiry will be held into one of the most violent days of the year-long miners’ strike in the 1980s, the government has announced.
The inquiry will look into the clash that involved police and miners outside the Orgreave coking plant in Rotherham on 18 June 1984.
The incident, which became known as the Battle of Orgreave, involved miners from across Britain converging on the plant to try to disrupt deliveries, but they were met with force by thousands of police officers.
Joe Rollin, from the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, has been calling for an inquiry for 13 years. He said he was “cautiously elated” by the news.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who announced the inquiry, said those affected by the confrontation had had “unanswered questions for over 40 years”.
She said the inquiry had been put “in our Labour manifesto last year and that’s what we’re now delivering”.
PA Media
The striking miners were met with force by thousands of police officers during the clashes
The inquiry will be chaired by the Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Rev Dr Pete Wilcox, and will look at both the events of the day and the aftermath, Ms Cooper said.
That will include the eventually failed criminal prosecutions of 95 miners and what Ms Cooper described as the “discredited evidence” against them.
The incident was sparked after the National Coal Board (NCB) announced in March 1984 that it was shutting 20 UK collieries it said were unprofitable.
This resulted in the loss of at least 20,000 jobs.
More than three quarters of the country’s 187,000 miners went on strike in response to the announcement.
On the day of the clashes in June, the striking miners wanted to stop lorries carrying coke to fuel the Scunthorpe steel furnaces as they thought disrupting production would help win their fight against the closures and job losses.
PA Media
The Battle of Orgreave is considered one of the most violent episodes in British industrial history
But violent clashes between police and the miners left more than 100 picketers and officers injured at the coking plant.
A total of 95 men who had been picketing at the plant were arrested and faced trial on riot and unlawful assembly charges.
However, the case against them collapsed in court due to allegations that South Yorkshire Police had falsified evidence.
Many of those involved have said that even 40 years on, they want answers about what happened and why.
It is still considered one of the most violent episodes in British industrial history.
In 2016, the then home secretary, Amber Rudd, rejected calls for an inquiry into events at Orgreave, saying it would not be in the public interest.
She said even though miners who were involved gave “forceful accounts” about its lasting impact on them, “ultimately there were no deaths or wrongful convictions”.
Joe Rollin, from the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, said he was “cautiously elated” by the announcement
Mr Rollin said he and other members of the Truth and Justice Campaign were “really happy and we want to get to the truth”.
“It’s been a long slog these last 13 years and we can’t quite believe it,” he said.
“We want all the people who live around the country in mining communities that have been so badly treated to have a smile on their faces.
“This has been a hard-fought thing and thank you to everyone who’s supported us.”
Rotherham Labour MP Sarah Champion said former miners, their families and campaigners had worked “tirelessly” to secure an inquiry.
She said: “I have stood shoulder to shoulder with campaigners over the years as they were led to believe an inquiry was about to be commissioned, only to have the rug pulled out from under them.
“They have been let down time and time again, and I am proud that our Labour government is good to its word and will finally uncover the truth.”
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said the announcement of the inquiry was a “landmark moment for justice and accountability”.
“We owe it to the miners, their families, and our communities to ensure that the events of Orgreave are finally understood,” he said.
South Yorkshire Police said it would “fully cooperate with the inquiry in a bid to help those affected find answers”.
LAS VEGAS — The Thomas & Mack Center public-address announcer called it the “main event” at the NBA Summer League, with Lakers’ second-year guard Bronny James and Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg at the center of it all.
The fans didn’t have to wait long for the moment they all came to see when Flagg, the first overall pick in the draft out of Duke, defended against James from the start of the game.
The atmosphere was electric until the end, with Flagg’s Mavericks pulling out an 87-85 win after James missed a three-pointer seconds before the final buzzer.
“It’s Summer League and everyone is going to come out for the first game,” James said. “Like, it’s going to be a crazy atmosphere, no matter what. So I just try to embrace it.”
Neither put on a shooting exhibition, but the fans didn’t seem to care.
James had eight points, missing six of eight shots. He also had two rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes and 51 seconds.
Flagg had 10 points on five-of-21 shooting, missing all five of his three-point attempts. He had six rebounds, four assists and one block.
Still, James was impressed.
“He’s great,” James said. “I watched him all in college. He’s an amazing player. So I have a lot of respect for him. He’s going to be special.”
Early in the game, James came off a screen with Cooper trailing and arriving too late, giving James just enough time to launch a jumper that settled into the net.
Lakers guard Bronny James, left, controls the ball in front of Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg during the Lakers’ Summer League loss Thursday.
(Ryan Stetz / NBAE via Getty Images)
James struck again, drilling a three-pointer over Cooper, drawing cheers from the fans.
James switched and took on the challenge of defending Cooper in the post, drawing more cheers.
Flagg missed his first two shots, and it was clear the fans wanted him to keep shooting. His first basket was off a breakaway dunk, leaving the fans shaking their heads and cheering.
James and Cooper continued their duel in the second quarter, with a couple of plays showcasing the intensity of their battle.
James, who is 6 feet 3, took on the 6-9 Flagg in the post, Flagg waving his teammates away as he tried to face the challenge alone. James stole the ball but was called for a foul, his look at the referees incredulous as the fans booed.
On the next possession, Flagg scored on a fadeaway over James, drawing more cheers as Flagg slapped hands with his teammates on the bench.
“I’m a pretty small guard,” James said. “So if I get switched down there I have to stand my ground somehow. That’s why I weigh like 215 [pounds] and I got to stand my ground down there and make sure I’m not getting bullied anywhere.”
Late in the game, the Lakers got a scare when Dalton Knecht buckled his knees while trying to score on a layup.
“Both of my legs cramped,” said Knecht, who had 15 points, “and I airballed the layup.”
Flagg shot a late airball, but he blocked a shot by DJ Stewart with 1:09 left.
The game came down to James to win it for the Lakers, but his missed three with 3.7 seconds left sealed the Lakers’ fate.
“Yes, I want him to fill that responsibility at the end of the game,” said Lindsay Harding, Lakers assistant coach and Summer League coach. “I want him to have the ball in his hands and I’m going to live and die with whatever shot he takes. It was the decision he made. It was a good shot. I’ve seen him make it before.”
James made another positive step in his efforts to improve his conditioning.
“I felt good,” James said. “I felt I could have knocked some more shots down, but it is what it is. You’re not going to make them all. I felt my effort on the defensive end was good and that’s what I’m focusing on this year.”
As expected, the Dallas Mavericks select Cooper Flagg with top pick while Dylan Harper joins Victor Wembanyama at San Antonio Spurs.
Cooper Flagg anticipated the moment for many months.
Still, when the Duke product heard his name called Wednesday at No 1 overall in the NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks, he experienced a flurry of emotions.
“I’m feeling amazing,” Flagg said as he stood with his family. “It’s a dream come true, to be honest. I wouldn’t want to share it with anybody else.”
The Mavericks’ announcement ended a months-long buildup for the 18-year-old Maine native, who had long been projected as the top pick. The only question was which team would get a chance to take him, and Dallas earned that opportunity when it won the NBA Draft lottery last month despite 1.8 percent odds.
Flagg figures to quickly provide a new face of the franchise for the Mavericks, who drew ire from their fan base after trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers last season.
The 6-foot-8-inch (2.03m), 221-pound (100kg) Flagg helped guide Duke to an NCAA Final Four appearance after averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks as a freshman. He won the Wooden Award as the nation’s best player, along with taking home other honours including Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and an ACC All-Defensive Team nod.
The San Antonio Spurs followed with the No 2 pick, which they used to select Rutgers guard Dylan Harper. The son of longtime NBA player Ron Harper will join a talented roster that includes prized big man Victor Wembanyama and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle.
Harper said he could not wait to get to San Antonio to prepare for the season.
“I’m feeling everything – all the emotions mixed in one bucket,” Harper said. “I think when you play with a bunch of great players, it brings the best out of you. They’ve got a great young core over there. I’m just ready to get in there and make an impact any way I can with those guys.”
No 2 pick Dylan Harper, left, poses for a photograph with his father Ron Harper, who won three NBA titles playing alongside the famous Michael Jordan at the Chicago Bulls from 1995-98 [Evan Yu/Getty Images via AFP]
At No 3, the Philadelphia 76ers selected guard VJ Edgecombe out of Baylor. He was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year after averaging 15 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Bears.
The Charlotte Hornets selected Duke guard Kon Knueppel next, which marked the second Blue Devils freshman to be selected in the top four picks. Now, Knueppel will stay in North Carolina to play in the NBA.
“It was a big spotlight at Duke,” he said. “(We) freshmen didn’t shy away from that, and it prepared us for the next level. Hopefully, that will carry over.”
The Utah Jazz selected Ace Bailey, who played with Harper at Rutgers, to round out the top five picks.
Flagg’s Duke teammate, centre Khaman Maluach, heard his name called at No 10 overall. The pick belonged to the Houston Rockets, who then sent the draft rights to Maluach to the Phoenix Suns as part of a deal to be finalised for Kevin Durant.
Maluach was born in South Sudan and did not discover basketball until he was an adolescent.
“I’m here representing the whole continent,” Maluach said. “Leaving Africa, I had the whole continent on my back. (I want to be) giving hope to young kids, inspiring young kids and the next generation of African basketball.”
The Mavericks had the No 1 overall pick for the second time in franchise history. They also had the top selection in 1981, when they drafted Mark Aguirre out of DePaul.
The 18-year-old Flagg is the second youngest player to be drafted No 1 overall. Only LeBron James was younger when he was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 [File: Dale Zanine/Imagn Images via Reuters]
News anchor Anderson Cooper was warned of an upcoming air strike as he broadcast a news segment from Israel to viewers at home in the US in the wake of Operation Midnight Hammer
17:39, 23 Jun 2025Updated 17:39, 23 Jun 2025
Anderson Cooper had to flee during a live CNN broadcast after he received a missile strike warning while reporting on the Middle East(Image: CNN)
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper was forced to abandon a live broadcast in Israel as air raid sirens announced a sudden Iranian missile strike. The veteran journalist had been covering the escalating Middle East conflict when the alarms began sounding in Tel Aviv, prompting him and his crew to flee to a bomb shelter on live television.
Cooper was joined by CNN’s chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward and Jerusalem correspondent Jeremy Diamond on a hotel balcony in Tel Aviv during the early hours of Monday when the attack unfolded.
Ward suddenly interrupted their conversation to tell viewers: “I should just say that we’re now hearing an alert.” Moments later Cooper received an emergency warning on his phone, confirming an incoming missile strike from Iran.
The news anchor was warned that Iran had launched a missile attack on Israel (Image: CNN)
“So these are the alerts that go out on all of our phones when you’re in Israel,” Cooper explained. “It’s a 10 minute warning of incoming missiles or something incoming from Iran.”
He continued: “So now the location we’re in has a verbal alarm telling people to go down into bomb shelters. So we have about a 10 minute window to get down into a bomb shelter.”
Despite the danger, Cooper calmly asked his team if they could carry on broadcasting during their escape. He added: “And we’ll continue to try to broadcast from that, that bomb shelter. And even if we can, on the way down.”
“I think we’re going to head down to the shelters – Chuck, do we have capabilities as we go down?” he asked, to which a crew member replied: “Just checking your microphones. Be ready in a second.”
As the crew evacuated the hotel balcony, a loudspeaker announcement echoed throughout the building saying: “Dear guests, we expect an alarm in the next 10 minutes.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later confirmed that a missile had been launched towards the country but was successfully intercepted. No injuries were reported.
The dramatic moment came just hours after US President Donald Trump authorised a surprise military strike targeting key Iranian nuclear facilities called Operation Midnight Hammer. He claims that the US carried out a “successful” bombing attack on three of Iran’s nuclear sites on Sunday.
The assault marked a major escalation in the already volatile relationship between Washington and Tehran, and Iranian leaders have vowed to get revenge.
Trump later took to Truth Social to call for a change of government in Iran, writing: “It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!”
There are growing fears that Tehran may respond by closing the Strait of Hormuz, which is a strategic waterway critical to global oil supply. A move to block the strait could trigger conflict with the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which is stationed nearby to protect international shipping routes.
Days after Alex Cooper accused her former college soccer coach of sexual harassment, Boston University has responded.
The host of the popular “Call Her Daddy” podcast, who made the allegations in a two-part Hulu documentary that premiered Tuesday after screening Sunday at the Tribeca Film Festival, played Division I soccer at the university for three years, during which time Cooper claims coach Nancy Feldman made inappropriate comments about her body and sex life, engaged in controlling behavior and touched her thigh.
“Nancy Feldman was someone I trusted. Someone I believed in. Someone who was supposed to help me grow. Someone who was supposed to protect me,” Cooper wrote Thursday on Instagram. “But instead she made my life a living hell and abused her power over me.”
In the same post, Cooper said she reported the abuse to athletic director Drew Marrochello, who she said ignored her complaints. The university addressed the allegations in a statement obtained Thursday by People and other news outlets.
“Boston University has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment. We have a robust system of resources, support and staff dedicated to student wellbeing and a thorough reporting process through our Equal Opportunity Office,” the statement reads. “We encourage members of our community to report any concerns, and we remain committed to fostering a safe and secure campus environment for all.”
While Cooper’s documentary began as a way to show behind-the-scenes footage of her 2023 Unwell Tour, a visit to Boston University — specifically the soccer field — brought her emotions back to the surface, she said in Tuesday’s brief episode of “Call Her Daddy” titled “My College Soccer Trauma.”
“The minute I stepped on that field, I felt so small,” Cooper said. “I felt like I was 18 years old again, completely powerless, with no voice.”
Cooper said “everything changed” when she discovered that other women had alleged similar experiences with Feldman. She decided that she needed to speak out after talking to one of the women.
“If a woman in my position, who has power and a platform, is still fearful, is still scared of speaking out about my own lived experience of sexual harassment, how the hell will any other woman feel safe and confident to come forward?” Cooper asked in the episode.
Since “Call Her Alex” premiered, TikTok user @sizzlinghotsarah shared her own experience with Feldman, alleging that the soccer coach harassed her for her sexuality. Cooper responded to the post, “I’m sick I’m so sorry she did this to you. Reaching out to u privately.”
Feldman retired in 2022, but Cooper claims the harassment continues under her successor.
“Call Her Alex” also traces her journey to becoming one of the top podcasters in the world. Featured in the documentary are Cooper’s former co-host Sofia Franklyn, husband Matt Kaplan, lifelong friend Lauren McMullen, who is an executive producer on the podcast, and Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports — the previous home of “Call Her Daddy.”
Cooper has become known for her revelatory interviews with everyone from Hailey Bieber and Paris Hilton to Monica Lewinsky and Jane Goodall. Last year, Cooper sat down with then-Vice President and presidential hopeful Kamala Harris — chronicled in the documentary.
Cooper created her own podcast network, Unwell, in 2023 and has hired emerging talent including Madeline Argy, Owen Thiele and Alix Earle, who abruptly left in February. In August 2024, Cooper signed a $125-million deal with SiriusXM.
“Adolescence” co-creator Stephen Graham isn’t exactly shy when it comes to praising Owen Cooper, the young actor at the center of his hit Netflix limited series.
“This may be a big thing to say, but I haven’t seen a performance [of this caliber] from someone so young since Leo [DiCaprio] in ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,’” Graham tells me via Zoom. “And I say that because I love Leo and he’s a good friend. And that’s a performance beyond someone his age. It’s the same when I watch Owen.”
Not content to leave it at that, Graham later points out that he recently related a story on Graham Norton’s BBC talk show about the time he told Cooper’s mom that her son was the “next Robert De Niro.” Cooper happened to be on the show too, taking it all in, smiling shyly. And wouldn’t you know it, De Niro was there as well, sitting next to Cooper on the couch, giving him a tender pat on the knee.
So, DiCaprio, De Niro … Do you want to drop a Brando comparison to complete the trifecta? I ask.
“I can’t find enough superlatives to describe the boy,” says Graham, who also co-wrote the show and stars as his father.
Honestly, I can’t either. Apart from Noah Wyle’s heroic, beleaguered doctor in “The Pitt,” you could make the case that Cooper’s turn as Jamie, a 13-year-old accused of murdering a classmate, is the year’s best work on television. The show’s third episode, a two-hander where Jamie is interviewed and evaluated by a psychologist (Erin Doherty) at a juvenile detention facility, is an astonishing showcase, particularly when you consider that it, like all four of the series’ episodes, is shot as a continuous scene.
It also bears mentioning that “Adolescence” marks Cooper’s professional debut as an actor. He is now 15.
Cooper with Stephen Graham in “Adolescence.”
(Netflix)
It’s an extraordinary story, though you have to wonder if some Emmy voters will see it that way. The Emmys have not embraced child actors over the years, with only four teenagers winning trophies: Roxana Zal, 14 when she won for her supporting role in the 1984 TV movie “Something About Amelia”; Kristy McNichol, 15 and 17 at the time of her two supporting drama actress wins for the 1970s series “Family”; Scott Jacoby, 16, for the 1972 TV movie “That Certain Summer”; and Anthony Murphy for the 1971 British limited series “Tom Brown’s Schooldays.”
Murphy was 17 when he won and, like Cooper, had never acted professionally. And after “Tom Brown’s Schooldays,” he never acted again, pursuing painting instead and enjoying a long career in that medium.
Perhaps that explains Emmy voters’ reluctance to go all in and reward young actors. Are they in it for the long haul? Or are they going to do something crazy like go off to college and chase a more stable career, like … just about any other line of work?
With Cooper, such concerns appear to be unfounded. Since “Adolescence,” he has made a BBC comedy, “Film Club,” starring Aimee Lou Wood, and just finished playing young Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell’s upcoming adaptation of Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights.”
Fennell obviously saw the tortured antihero that everyone else did in “Adolescence.”
Easy to see that now. But finding the next De Niro from a pool of 500 to 600 young actors, most of them unknowns, almost all of them around Jamie’s age, was a taller order. Graham says the casting team had considered looking for an older boy, given the demands of the role and the show’s unsettling subject matter.
“But that age is unique,” Graham says. “It’s that breaking point. Your body is changing. Your voice is changing. We needed that authenticity.”
That’s all well and good. But what was it like for Doherty, a veteran actor with many credits — including Princess Anne in “The Crown” — to take on a single-shot, 52-minute episode requiring her to parry and push and prod a young actor on his first job?
Cooper with Erin Doherty in “Adolescence.”
(Netflix)
“It was definitely the cause of most of my nerves before I met Owen,” Doherty tells me. “I was so unflinchingly aware that it is a huge ask, even for an actor who has been doing it for 40 years.”
Then she met him on the first day of rehearsal, and Doherty, who says she is obsessed with the elements, saw that Cooper was a “very earthy human being.” Grounded. Present. Real.
They rehearsed for two weeks and then spent a week shooting the episode, Monday through Friday, two takes a day. They used the last take. Probably because they felt confident they had already nailed it, Doherty says that last time through was like they were “doing it for free.”
“There was more of a playful dynamic between the two of us,” Doherty says. “We were poking each other in ways we hadn’t done before.”
As Doherty’s psychologist nudges Jamie to recognize truths about himself that he doesn’t want to acknowledge and admit that he holds certain toxic beliefs, you see Cooper shift Jamie from guarded innocence to explosive rage and then to surrendering desperation. There are a lot of showy moments, but one of the best comes shortly after the two characters meet when Jamie lets out a yawn. “Am I boring you?” she asks. Look at that self-satisfied smile on his face.
“That was the only time he did that,” Doherty says. “And Owen was probably genuinely tired. But also, I’m thinking, ‘This kid Jamie is really trying to push my buttons.’ We were really playing a cat-and-mouse game.”
With young actors, there’s sometimes the perception that the director is guiding them — which, of course, is the director’s job with any actor. But in that moment, you see Cooper using an accident and turning it into something malevolent.
“Owen has an unspoken magic,” Doherty says. “That’s nothing to do with his age. He has something that can’t be taught, and it’s always going to be with him.”
