Stars of Netflix’s critically acclaimed limited series Adolescence gathered in Beverly Hills on Saturday for BAFTA’s annual TV Tea Party, a final industry stop before Sunday’s Primetime Emmy Awards that could bring multiple prizes to the show.
Among those who attended the event at The Maybourne Beverly Hills Hotel were 15-year-old breakout actor Owen Cooper, who is nominated for outstanding supporting actor; co-creator and star Stephen Graham, who is nominated for outstanding lead actor; fellow cast member Ashley Walters; producer Mark Herbert; and director Philip Barantini. Adolescence received 13 Emmy nominations in total, including a slot in the outstanding limited or anthology series category.
Cooper, who was cast from roughly 500 candidates and for whom Adolescence was his first acting job, could become one of the youngest male winners in Emmy history if he prevails in the supporting actor field. He competes in the category with Javier Bardem for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, Bill Camp for Presumed Innocent, Peter Sarsgaard for Rob Delaney and Rob Delaney for Dying for Sex. Walters, who plays DI Luke Bascombe in the series, is also nominated in the supporting actor category.
Graham, who co-created and co-wrote the four-part drama in addition to starring in it, is up for outstanding lead actor. Adolescence is nominated alongside Black Mirror, Dying for Sex, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and The Penguin in the outstanding limited or anthology series category.
The series follows the Miller family after their 13-year-old son Jamie is arrested for the stabbing death of a female classmate amid influences of online misogyny. The program has drawn attention for its subject matter and performances and has already won recognition in the United Kingdom: Adolescence took two major prizes at the 2025 National Television Awards, capturing best new drama and best drama performance for Owen Cooper.
At the BAFTA event, Cooper was photographed with a range of British and international talent. Other attendees included Downton Abbey alum Joanne Froggatt, who attended after the franchise’s final film release, along with actors Ruth Connell and Jimmy Akingbola. The party also drew veteran stars who paused to meet the young actor.
Industry observers have noted that Cooper’s placement in the supporting actor category could affect voting dynamics; awards strategists sometimes enter performers in categories they believe will optimize their chances. Cooper’s nomination is one of several indicators of the series’ awards momentum, alongside multiple cast and production nods.
Adolescence was produced and distributed by Netflix and has provoked discussion in both the United Kingdom and the United States for its depiction of youth, family dynamics and the influence of online communities. Cooper, from a working-class estate in Warrington, England, does not come from an entertainment background and has said in prior interviews that the role has had a profound impact on his life and opportunities.
Also from Britain, other nominees at this year’s Emmys include Gary Oldman for Slow Horses, Aimee Lou Wood and Jason Isaacs for The White Lotus and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Winners will be announced at the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony on Sunday.
The BAFTA Tea Party served as a final public appearance for several contenders and collaborators to celebrate the industry’s offerings ahead of the Emmys. Cast and crew from Adolescence left Los Angeles for the awards weekend with multiple nominations and recent U.K. awards behind them, while the series’ producers and creative team continue to promote the drama’s performances and themes to an international audience.