From award-winning performances to killer cameos and memorable voice work, Chris Cooper has been in the Hollywood game for decades. For a while there, he was a mere “familiar face,” but now he’s an A-lister staple whose intense, on-screen appearance brings us excitement by simply knowing he’s involved in whatever project we’re experiencing. More recently, it was a hoot seeing him on the small screen in the second season of Homecoming, and when it comes to animated features, we adored the characters he voiced in Where the Wild Things Are and Cars 3.
In honor of the versatile actor, we took a closer look at the best of the best when it comes to Cooper’s filmography. Some honorable mentions include October Sky (1999), Seabiscuit (2003), Capote (2005), Syriana (2005), The Kingdom (2007), The Town (2010), and Little Women (2019). He also made a splash in the Marvel universe, playing Norman Osborn in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014). See below for our top 5.
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5 The Bourne Identity (2002)
Universal Pictures
“You failed!” is perhaps Cooper’s most iconic line from the O.G. Jason Bourne flick. The Bourne Identity also became one of Matt Damon’s most iconic roles, as it evolved into a major film franchise. Paul Greengrass, Tony Gilroy, and Doug Liman were all directors throughout the making of the epic franchise. But in terms of villains across the films, there’s no denying that Cooper’s turn in the first installment takes the cake. Based on the eponymous Robert Ludlum novel, The Bourne Identity was far ahead of its time in its ability to combine elements of a fast-paced action thriller with intense psychological drama.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
4 Breach (2007)
Sydney Kimmel Entertainment
Breach is the true story of Eric O’Neill (Ryan Phillippe) and Robert Hanssen (Cooper). O’Neill is an ambitious FBI agent who is asked to watch Hanssen. He isn’t told much more than that, and after a while, finally presses his superiors to know why he’s undercover against someone who looks like they’re on the up and up. It is here that he finds out that Hanssen is a spy and has been selling secrets to the Russian government. What ensues is a tense, thriller that takes us inside the FBI and also shows us the relationship between Hanssen and O’Neill. Cooper’s on-screen dynamic opposite Phillippe is reason enough to see this intense film with twists and turns along the way.
3 A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
TriStar Pictures
While the story of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is centered around the timeless Mr. Rogers, the entertainer is not the protagonist here. It’s important to note that this is not exactly a biopic for Fred Rogers, but how he was able to greatly affect those around him. Based on true events, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood follows cynical magazine writer (Matthew Rhys) who’s given the task of writing a story about Rogers (Oscar-nominee for the film Tom Hanks). In the process of doing so, he strikes up a friendship with the TV star, ultimately learning to overcome his skepticism and learns about kindness, empathy, and decency along the way. Cooper plays the writer’s estranged father, a philanderer who cheated on his wife and abandoned his kids when they were young. It’s a layered performance that Cooper nails flawlessly.
2 American Beauty (1999)
DreamWorks Pictures
1917 director Sam Mendes has been showing off his talent behind the camera ever since American Beauty, arguably his finest film to date. It rightfully won a handful of Oscars. From the writing to the acting, it’s also a visual treat. The true cinephiles know the unique plotline here, and we all remember Cooper’s heartbreaking turn as a closeted father in distress. His supporting character’s arc across the film is cinematic storytelling at its finest.
“In playing Colonel Fitts, I learned about the shadow side, which is that phenomenon when you meet a person and there’s something you instantly dislike about them, and then you realize, ‘Oh, that’s something very much inside me,’” Cooper once told Boston Magazine about his role in the film.
1 Adaptation. (2002)
Columbia Pictures
Adaptation is where Cooper finally nabbed his Oscar win. And talk about meta: This 2002 comedy-drama is brought to you by the iconic duo behind Being John Malkovich, director Spike Jonze and writer Charlie Kaufman. First of all, its protagonist’s name is none other than Charlie Kaufman (played by the excellent Nicolas Cage). Kaufman has said he based Adaptation on his struggles to adapt Susan Orlean’s 1998 nonfiction book The Orchid Thief. It involves elements adapted from the book plus fictitious elements, including Kaufman’s twin brother (also credited as a writer for the film). It culminates in completely invented elements, including versions of Orlean and John Laroche — her book’s protagonist — three years after the events of The Orchid Thief. The never-better Cooper deservedly won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in his hilarious and heartfelt turn as Laroche. We can’t wait to see what’s next for the veteran actor.
