---
name: "Chris Cooper"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/chris-cooper"
fi1m_id: "chris-cooper"
imdb_id: "nm0177933"
tmdb_id: 2955
wikidata_id: "Q273208"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "9 July 1951"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 19
average_fi1m_score: 73
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 18
updated: "2026-10-09T19:29:46.676381+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Chris Cooper

## Identity

Chris Cooper

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/chris-cooper
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** chris-cooper
- **IMDb ID:** nm0177933
- **TMDB ID:** 2955
- **Wikidata ID:** Q273208
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Cooper, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q273208, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177933/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2955

Actor. Born 9 July 1951 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 9 July 1951, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- **Active:** 1996–present
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 19: 18 acting, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Catherine Keener](https://film.one/person/catherine-keener.md), [George Clooney](https://film.one/person/george-clooney.md), [Matt Damon](https://film.one/person/matt-damon.md), [Meryl Streep](https://film.one/person/meryl-streep.md), [Spike Jonze](https://film.one/person/spike-jonze.md), [Tom Hanks](https://film.one/person/tom-hanks.md), [Vincent Landay](https://film.one/person/vincent-landay.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 73, as actor, over 18 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 69 (5), 2000s 78 (7), 2010s 72 (6), 2020s 62 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 73 to 70 across 18 titles
- **Score spread:** 7 at 80+, 8 at 60–79, 3 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 17 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 16, Adventure 4, Comedy 4, Crime 4, Family 4, Romance 4
- **Screen time:** 37 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $2,583m across 18 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Cooper, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q273208, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177933/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2955

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Lone Star*](https://film.one/film/lone-star.md) (86), [*Adaptation.*](https://film.one/film/adaptation.md) (83)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Capote*](https://film.one/film/capote.md) (84), [*Syriana*](https://film.one/film/syriana.md) (72)
- **Hulu:** [*Little Women*](https://film.one/film/little-women.md) (83), [*Where the Wild Things Are*](https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are.md) (80)
- **Apple TV:** [*The Bourne Identity*](https://film.one/film/the-bourne-identity.md) (83), [*Seabiscuit*](https://film.one/film/seabiscuit.md) (65)
- **Disney+:** [*The Muppets*](https://film.one/film/the-muppets.md) (80)
- **Netflix:** [*A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood*](https://film.one/film/a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood.md) (77)
- **HBO Max:** [*The Town*](https://film.one/film/the-town.md) (77)
- **Tubi:** [*The Horse Whisperer*](https://film.one/film/the-horse-whisperer.md) (68)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Chris Cooper

> Chris Cooper makes a man thinking worth watching. We value his patience and close attention to other actors, though familiar casting as stern authority figures can leave too much of that ability unused.

In *Lone Star* (1996), Chris Cooper lets us see Sam Deeds thinking while somebody else is speaking. His face registers the effort without making a performance of each small change. We were moved by his scenes with Elizabeth Peña's Pilar Cruz, because his careful listening gives her emotional directness its full weight. Cooper is particularly good when a film allows him to pay that much attention to another actor. The dialogue need not be his for him to have something to do.

John Sayles gave Cooper his film debut in *Matewan* (1987), beginning a collaboration that has extended to five films. *Lone Star* brought him wider notice in a leading role, and remains our clearest reason for wanting him at the centre of a film. He holds our attention while leaving space for Peña and the larger cast. Sayles's writing occasionally makes the town's connections too neat, but Cooper never seems to be merely helping the plot along. We can see Sam trying to understand what he hears, which makes the patient unravelling worth following.

The more familiar casting is sterner: Colonel Frank Fitts, the repressed Marine officer in *American Beauty* (1999), or Alexander Conklin in *The Bourne Identity* (2002). Cooper's calm, tough demeanour makes him an understandable choice for men accustomed to authority. The reservation is with how readily that can become the whole job. His face can tell us that somebody is in charge; the more rewarding work comes when he is allowed to show what that person is thinking.

*Adaptation* (2002), in which he plays the eccentric John Laroche, offers a useful change from those assignments. The comic part is a reminder to cast him for more than his capacity to look stern. We would welcome more such departures, though there is still plenty to discover in the quieter work when a director gives him time. Start with *Lone Star*, and pay attention when somebody else has the dialogue.

## Biography

Chris Cooper is an American actor. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1951, he studied at the University of Missouri and began his career in theatre before making his film debut as a union organiser in John Sayles’s *Matewan* (1987).

He has collaborated frequently with Sayles, appearing in *City of Hope* (1991), *Lone Star* (1996) as Sam Deeds and *Silver City* (2004). Cooper received wider recognition for supporting roles in *American Beauty* (1999) and won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in *Adaptation* (2002). His other notable film credits include *The Bourne Identity* (2002), *The Town* (2010) and *Little Women* (2019).

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (19)

### Performed in (18) — the average rests on these

- *The History of Sound* (2025), Fi1m 62, as Older Lionel — [page](https://film.one/film/the-history-of-sound.md)
- *A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood* (2019), Fi1m 77, as Jerry Vogel — [page](https://film.one/film/a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood.md)
- *Little Women* (2019), Fi1m 83, as Mr. Laurence — [page](https://film.one/film/little-women.md)
- *Cars 3* (2017), Fi1m 58, as Smokey (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/cars-3.md)
- *August: Osage County* (2013), Fi1m 57, as Charlie Aiken — [page](https://film.one/film/august-osage-county.md)
- *The Muppets* (2011), Fi1m 80, as Tex Richman — [page](https://film.one/film/the-muppets.md)
- *The Town* (2010), Fi1m 77, as Stephen MacRay — [page](https://film.one/film/the-town.md)
- *Where the Wild Things Are* (2009), Fi1m 80, as Douglas (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are.md)
- *Capote* (2005), Fi1m 84, as Alvin Dewey — [page](https://film.one/film/capote.md)
- *Syriana* (2005), Fi1m 72, as Jimmy Pope — [page](https://film.one/film/syriana.md)
- *Seabiscuit* (2003), Fi1m 65, as Tom Smith — [page](https://film.one/film/seabiscuit.md)
- *Adaptation.* (2002), Fi1m 83, as John Laroche — [page](https://film.one/film/adaptation.md)
- *The Bourne Identity* (2002), Fi1m 83, as Alexander Conklin — [page](https://film.one/film/the-bourne-identity.md)
- *American Beauty* (1999), Fi1m 76, as Colonel Fitts — [page](https://film.one/film/american-beauty.md)
- *Great Expectations* (1998), Fi1m 62, as Joe — [page](https://film.one/film/great-expectations-1998.md)
- *The Horse Whisperer* (1998), Fi1m 68, as Frank Booker — [page](https://film.one/film/the-horse-whisperer.md)
- *A Time to Kill* (1996), Fi1m 55, as Dwayne Looney — [page](https://film.one/film/a-time-to-kill.md)
- *Lone Star* (1996), Fi1m 86, as Sam Deeds — [page](https://film.one/film/lone-star.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *The Bourne Supremacy* (2004), Fi1m 81, as Alexander Conklin (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-bourne-supremacy.md)

## Complete filmography (83)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Unscripted Lives* (2025), Executive Producer
- *The History of Sound* (2025), as Older Lionel — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/the-history-of-sound.md)
- *Everything's Going to Be Great* (2025), as Walter
- *Boston Strangler* (2023), as Jack Maclaine
- *With/In Volume 2* (2021), as (segment "Nuts") · Director
- *Irresistible* (2020), as Jack Hastings
- *Little Women* (2019), as Mr. Laurence — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/little-women.md)
- *A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood* (2019), as Jerry Vogel — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood.md)
- *Henrietta Bulkowski* (2019), as Danny Wilcox
- *Homecoming* (2018), series, as Leonard Geist
- *Intelligent Lives* (2018), Executive Producer
- *Cars 3* (2017), as Smokey (voice) — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/cars-3.md)
- *Live by Night* (2016), as Chief Irving Figgis
- *Coming Through the Rye* (2016), as J.D. Salinger
- *Demolition* (2016), as Phil Eastwood
- *Fastball* (2016), as Clifford Blankenship (voice)
- *11.22.63* (2016), series, as Al Templeton
- *The Amazing Spider-Man 2* (2014), as Norman Osborn (uncredited) — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/the-amazing-spider-man-2.md)
- *August: Osage County* (2013), as Charlie Aiken — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/august-osage-county.md)
- *The Company You Keep* (2012), as Daniel Sloan
- *Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God* (2012), as Gary (voice)
- *The Muppets* (2011), as Tex Richman — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/the-muppets.md)
- *Amigo* (2011), as Col. Hardacre
- *The Company Men* (2010), as Phil Woodward
- *The Town* (2010), as Stephen MacRay — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/the-town.md)
- *The Tempest* (2010), as Antonio
- *Remember Me* (2010), as Neil Craig
- *Jake Gyllenhaal Challenges the Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize* (2010), as Lt. Col. Kazinski (archive footage)
- *Where the Wild Things Are* (2009), as Douglas (voice) — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are.md)
- *Extreme Movie* (2008), as FBI Agent Mike (uncredited)
- *New York, I Love You* (2008), as Alex
- *Walt Whitman* (2008), as Walt Whitman (voice)
- *Married Life* (2008), as Harry Allen
- *The Kingdom* (2007), as Grant Sykes
- *Breach* (2007), as Robert Hanssen
- *Primo Levi's Journey* (2006), as Narrator (voice) (U.S. version)
- *Syriana* (2005), as Jimmy Pope — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/syriana.md)
- *Jarhead* (2005), as Lt. Col. Kazinski
- *Capote* (2005), as Alvin Dewey — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/capote.md)
- *Silver City* (2004), as Dickie Pilager
- *The Bourne Supremacy* (2004), as Alexander Conklin (uncredited) — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/the-bourne-supremacy.md)
- *Seabiscuit* (2003), as Tom Smith — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/seabiscuit.md)
- *My House in Umbria* (2003), as Thomas 'Tom' Riversmith
- *Adaptation.* (2002), as John Laroche — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/adaptation.md)
- *The Bourne Identity* (2002), as Alexander Conklin — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/the-bourne-identity.md)
- *Interstate 60* (2002), as Bob Cody
- *The Patriot* (2000), as Col. Harry Burwell
- *Me, Myself & Irene* (2000), as Lieutenant Gerke
- *American Beauty* (1999), as Colonel Fitts — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/american-beauty.md)
- *October Sky* (1999), as John Hickam
- *The 24 Hour Woman* (1999), as Ron Hacksby
- *The Horse Whisperer* (1998), as Frank Booker — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/the-horse-whisperer.md)
- *Great Expectations* (1998), as Joe — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/great-expectations-1998.md)
- *Alone* (1997), as Gus Jr.
- *Breast Men* (1997), as Dr. William Larson
- *A Time to Kill* (1996), as Dwayne Looney — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/a-time-to-kill.md)
- *Lone Star* (1996), as Sam Deeds — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/lone-star.md)
- *Boys* (1996), as Mr. John Baker
- *The Deliverance of Elaine* (1996), as Charlie Skyler
- *Money Train* (1995), as Torch
- *Pharaoh's Army* (1995), as Captain John Hull Abston
- *One More Mountain* (1994), as Jack Reed
- *Return to Lonesome Dove* (1993), series, as July Johnson
- *This Boy's Life* (1993), as Roy
- *Ned Blessing: The True Story Of My Life* (1992), as Anthony Blessing
- *Bed of Lies* (1992), as Price Daniel, Jr.
- *City of Hope* (1991), as Riggs
- *To The Moon, Alice* (1991), as Frank Wiliker
- *Darrow* (1991), as Eugene Debs
- *Thousand Pieces of Gold* (1991), as Charlie
- *Guilty by Suspicion* (1991), as Larry Nolan
- *In Broad Daylight* (1991), as Jack Wilson
- *A Little Piece of Sunshine* (1990), as Ernie Favaro
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Defense Attorney Roy Payne — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *Lonesome Dove* (1989), series, as July Johnson
- *American Experience* (1988), series, as Narrator (voice)
- *Matewan* (1987), as Joe Kenehan
- *The Equalizer* (1985), series, as Michael
- *Miami Vice* (1984), series, as Jimmy Yagovitch — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md)
- *Bad Timing* (1982), as Eddie
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Louis Halladay, Charlie Bemis, Eugene Debs
- *Light on Broken Glass*, as Jay
- *I Passed This Way*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Chris Cooper as Sam Deeds in Lone Star (1996)](https://film.one/media/title/4455/still-15281ebba1a2.jpg) Chris Cooper as Sam Deeds in *Lone Star* (1996) — Image via TMDB
- ![Chris Cooper at the premiere of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, 2019 Toronto Film Festival](https://film.one/media/person/86749/gallery-618062580f16.jpg) Chris Cooper at the premiere of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, 2019 Toronto Film Festival — GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/A_Beautiful_Day_in_the_Neighborhood_06_%2848735010742%29.jpg/1280px-A_Beautiful_Day_in_the_Neighborhood_06_%2848735010742%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Chris Cooper at the premiere of August: Osage County, Toronto Film Festival 2013](https://film.one/media/person/86749/gallery-40cb33cf3548.jpg) Chris Cooper at the premiere of August: Osage County, Toronto Film Festival 2013 — GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/2013_Toronto_Film_Festival_August_36_%289737710686%29.jpg/1280px-2013_Toronto_Film_Festival_August_36_%289737710686%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Chris Cooper by David Shankbone (2007)](https://film.one/media/person/86749/gallery-3a04b304b01f.jpg) Chris Cooper by David Shankbone (2007) — David Shankbone (attribution required), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Chris_Cooper.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Chris Cooper](https://film.one/media/person/86749/gallery-8d2930154bd8.jpg) Chris Cooper — David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Chris_Cooper_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival.jpg/1280px-Chris_Cooper_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Chris Cooper](https://film.one/media/person/86749/gallery-3c78741a6d6c.jpg) Chris Cooper — Image via TMDB
- ![Chris Cooper](https://film.one/media/person/86749/gallery-105f0e3d494d.jpg) Chris Cooper — Image via TMDB
- ![Chris Cooper](https://film.one/media/person/86749/gallery-5b17d665c0c0.jpg) Chris Cooper — Image via TMDB
- ![Chris Cooper at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of The Farrelly Brothers' Lost Son of Havana.](https://film.one/media/person/86749/gallery-f232e76ce6bf.jpg) Chris Cooper at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of The Farrelly Brothers' Lost Son of Havana. — David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Chris_Cooper_%2709_Tribeca_Film_Festival_%28sq-trim%29.jpg/1280px-Chris_Cooper_%2709_Tribeca_Film_Festival_%28sq-trim%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Chris Cooper](https://film.one/media/person/86749/gallery-cd6ad7522c87.jpg) Chris Cooper — Image via TMDB
- ![Chris Cooper](https://film.one/media/person/86749/gallery-d647cbc331c5.jpg) Chris Cooper — Image via TMDB
- ![Chris Cooper](https://film.one/media/person/86749/gallery-6028d2ef7f49.jpg) Chris Cooper — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won

- 2003: Best Supporting Actor (won), for *Adaptation*

### Golden Globes — 1 won

- 2003: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (won), for *Adaptation*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/chris-cooper