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Q: I just read that Heath Ledger, when he played the Joker, his part was pretty disturbing and
it affected him in his personal life. Have you ever played a character who was disturbing or that
acted in a certain way that affected you outside of acting?
A: No, because when I go home my wife wouldn't put up with it for a minute. You hear a lot
about actors taking their characters home with them and I don’t have the chance. I think when
you’re younger and you’re so enthusiastic and your energies and you’re just getting into the
business you can get a little over the top about how involved you are with the character. You
need to be able to turn it off because you’re going to need all your energies and all your
concentration when cameras roll. And that’s what counts. People work in different ways and
some people need that to carry with them throughout the day. I've heard almost hysterical
stories where Daniel Day Lewis in “My Left Foot” , where he had his actors carry him to the set
because he played a young man with cerebral palsy. And I think that was a terrific tactic. I heard
that he goes to great extremes in developing his characters. Obviously that paid off for him
because he’s one of our greatest actors. But then I worked with equally as talented actors,
among them Phillip Seymore Hoffman. I worked with him on a film called “Capote”. That’s a guy
who as soon as they say cut he’s back to being Phil. So people work in different ways.
Q: Would you like to work in comedies?
A: I've been putting the word out there. It’s kind of funny, in LA or Hollywood, in the studios,
you'd assume that here would be a really really creative community. But it’s also a business. At
the same time this title of "character actor" has been tagged on me. That’s fine. I don’t like to
repeat myself, however, I think I've played enough FBI guys, military guys, and angry mean
fathers for a little while. So I’m hoping to put a little moratorium on those. I’m not promising that
if an interesting script comes along with one of those characters I wouldn't go back to work
doing it. But I've also said I'm really looking for something to really show my comedic side as
well. But the industry is going to be hard pressed to take that chance because they've never
seen me do it.
Q: What about theater, if someone paid you to do comedy in some theaters?
A: Marrianne and I are not putting all our energies into it but we've been looking at scripts
possibly the two of us would do together. I have a different take on working in theater. I did
fifteen years of theater before I began working in film. I didn't do any film work until I was 35.
My requirements for doing theater are..... I’m pretty stringent, pretty hard working doing movies,
but my requirements for doing stage work are almost not fair to the family because I am just
really demanding of that day to day work of going on the stage each night. It’s a whole different
requirement.
Q: What actresses would you like to work with?
A: The talent pool is so huge I couldn't begin to tell you all the female actors I’d like to work
with. However, I must say that after initially being terribly intimidated with the idea of working
with Meryl Streep on “Adaptation” , I never had more fun and never had more belly laughs on
the set than working with Meryl Streep. She’s a great Mom, she’s a great woman and just a
great girl. And really a great example of people in the business that kept a level head.
it affected him in his personal life. Have you ever played a character who was disturbing or that
acted in a certain way that affected you outside of acting?
A: No, because when I go home my wife wouldn't put up with it for a minute. You hear a lot
about actors taking their characters home with them and I don’t have the chance. I think when
you’re younger and you’re so enthusiastic and your energies and you’re just getting into the
business you can get a little over the top about how involved you are with the character. You
need to be able to turn it off because you’re going to need all your energies and all your
concentration when cameras roll. And that’s what counts. People work in different ways and
some people need that to carry with them throughout the day. I've heard almost hysterical
stories where Daniel Day Lewis in “My Left Foot” , where he had his actors carry him to the set
because he played a young man with cerebral palsy. And I think that was a terrific tactic. I heard
that he goes to great extremes in developing his characters. Obviously that paid off for him
because he’s one of our greatest actors. But then I worked with equally as talented actors,
among them Phillip Seymore Hoffman. I worked with him on a film called “Capote”. That’s a guy
who as soon as they say cut he’s back to being Phil. So people work in different ways.
Q: Would you like to work in comedies?
A: I've been putting the word out there. It’s kind of funny, in LA or Hollywood, in the studios,
you'd assume that here would be a really really creative community. But it’s also a business. At
the same time this title of "character actor" has been tagged on me. That’s fine. I don’t like to
repeat myself, however, I think I've played enough FBI guys, military guys, and angry mean
fathers for a little while. So I’m hoping to put a little moratorium on those. I’m not promising that
if an interesting script comes along with one of those characters I wouldn't go back to work
doing it. But I've also said I'm really looking for something to really show my comedic side as
well. But the industry is going to be hard pressed to take that chance because they've never
seen me do it.
Q: What about theater, if someone paid you to do comedy in some theaters?
A: Marrianne and I are not putting all our energies into it but we've been looking at scripts
possibly the two of us would do together. I have a different take on working in theater. I did
fifteen years of theater before I began working in film. I didn't do any film work until I was 35.
My requirements for doing theater are..... I’m pretty stringent, pretty hard working doing movies,
but my requirements for doing stage work are almost not fair to the family because I am just
really demanding of that day to day work of going on the stage each night. It’s a whole different
requirement.
Q: What actresses would you like to work with?
A: The talent pool is so huge I couldn't begin to tell you all the female actors I’d like to work
with. However, I must say that after initially being terribly intimidated with the idea of working
with Meryl Streep on “Adaptation” , I never had more fun and never had more belly laughs on
the set than working with Meryl Streep. She’s a great Mom, she’s a great woman and just a
great girl. And really a great example of people in the business that kept a level head.
Interview with Chris Cooper - May 10, 2008
Q: What made you decide to live in Massachusetts?
A: It was a family decision. We lived in Manhattan,
then we lived across the river in Hoboken New
Jersey for awhile. Our son got to school age and we
knew we were in trouble if we stayed in Hoboken.
Marrianne grew up in Newton, Watertown, and she
came down here in the summers. So we've got a lot
of friends that Marrianne grew up with down here.
Q: Any thoughts on the prospect of a film studio
moving in our backyard?
A: I've heard about it. The idea of it, I know
absolutely nothing about. I’d like to get some
information on it, see what people have in mind. It
could be a very good thing. And I hope there will be
a lot of employment for folks around here. I don’t
know.
A: It was a family decision. We lived in Manhattan,
then we lived across the river in Hoboken New
Jersey for awhile. Our son got to school age and we
knew we were in trouble if we stayed in Hoboken.
Marrianne grew up in Newton, Watertown, and she
came down here in the summers. So we've got a lot
of friends that Marrianne grew up with down here.
Q: Any thoughts on the prospect of a film studio
moving in our backyard?
A: I've heard about it. The idea of it, I know
absolutely nothing about. I’d like to get some
information on it, see what people have in mind. It
could be a very good thing. And I hope there will be
a lot of employment for folks around here. I don’t
know.
