Dominic Cooper (born 2 June 1978) is an
English actor. He has worked in TV, film, theatre and radio, in productions including
Mamma Mia!,
The Duchess,
Sense and Sensibility, and
The History Boys.
Early life
Cooper was born and brought up in
Greenwich,
London, the son of Julie, a nursery school teacher.
He attended the
Thomas Tallis School in
Kidbrooke, and trained at the
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), graduating in 2000.
Career
He first worked in television and film before making his stage debut in
Mother Clap's Molly House at the
National Theatre in 2001.
Cooper was involved in
Alan Bennett's
play The History Boys from its very first reading.
[ ] He also toured with production to
Broadway,
Sydney,
Wellington and
Hong Kong as well as appearing in the radio and
film adaptations of the play.
In 2005, Cooper also appeared in a commercial for
condom company
Durex.
[Durex Commercial on YouTube]
He has had notable roles in the
Royal National Theatre's adaptation of the
His Dark Materials trilogy where he played the lead character
Will Parry, the TV series
Down To Earth and
Sense & Sensibility. He is possibly best known for his work in
Mamma Mia!, in which he sang several songs. In the film, his character was engaged to the daughter (played by
Amanda Seyfried, his current girlfriend) of the lead (
Meryl Streep).
He guest stars in the "Aspinol" sketch in his History boys co star
James Corden's BBC3 show,
Horne and Corden and is attached to star in the film
City of Birds. In 2009 he played Hippolytus in
Phedre at the
National Theatre alongside
Helen Mirren and
Margaret Tyzack.
Recognition and awards
Cooper was nominated for a 2006
Drama Desk Award for his work on the Broadway production of
The History Boys.
He was nominated for the for Most Promising Newcomer (On Screen) award at the 2006
British Independent Film Awards and has been nominated for the British Film Critics Circle's 2006 award for British actor in support
for his work on the film version of
The History Boys.
Selected credits
Theatre
- 2009: Phèdre (Royal National Theatre, London (NT Live), June 2009), Hippolytus
- 2006: The History Boys (Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway, 2006), Dakin
- 2006: The History Boys (Sydney Theatre, Sydney, 2006), Dakin
- 2006: The History Boys (St James, Wellington, 2006), Dakin
- 2006: The History Boys (Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Hong Kong, 2006)
- 2004: The History Boys (Lyttelton Theatre, Royal National Theatre, 2004), Dakin
- 2003: His Dark Materials Parts I & II (Olivier Theatre, Royal National Theatre, 2003/04)
- 2003: Call To Prayer (RADA/ Operating Theatre Company, 2003 - rehearsed reading)
- 2002: Caryl Churchill Events (Royal Court Theatre, 2002)
- 2002: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2002), Puck
- 2001: Mother Clap’s Molly House (Lyttelton Theatre, Royal National Theatre, 2001), Thomas/ Josh
Film
Television
Radio
- 2006: The History Boys Dakin
- 2005: The All-Colour Vegetarian Cookbook Damien
Commercials
- 2001: Durex Condom Commercial
