Dominic Cooper Biography

Dominic Edward Cooper (born 2 June 1978) is an English actor. He has worked in television, film, theatre and radio, in productions including Starter for 10 and The History Boys (both 2006), Mamma Mia! and The Duchess (both 2008), The Devil's Double and Captain America: The First Avenger (both 2011), Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012), Dracula Untold (2014), Agent Carter (2015-16), and Warcraft (2016). He currently portrays Jesse Custer on the AMC show Preacher (2016-present).

Early life

Cooper was born and brought up in Greenwich, London, the son of Julie (ne Heron), a nursery school teacher, and Brian Cooper, an auctioneer. His maternal great-grandfather was film enthusiast E. T. Heron, who published The Kinematograph Weekly. He attended John Ball Primary School in Blackheath, London, followed by Thomas Tallis School in nearby Kidbrooke, then 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 first reading. He also toured with the production to Broadway, Sydney, Wellington and Hong Kong as well as appearing in the radio and film adaptations of the play. 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.

In 2008, he appeared as Sky in Mamma Mia!, in which he sang several songs. The same year, he appeared opposite Keira Knightley in The Duchess as Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey. Cooper starred in films An Education and Freefall in 2009, and also played Hippolytus in Phedre at the National Theatre alongside Helen Mirren and Margaret Tyzack.

In 2010, he played rock-drummer Ben in the film Tamara Drewe, and in 2011 played the leading roles of Latif Yahia and Uday Hussein in the biographical film The Devil's Double and portrayed Milton H. Greene in My Week with Marilyn. 2011 was also the year Cooper first appeared as Howard Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Initially appearing in the film Captain America: The First Avenger, he reprised his role in the Marvel One-Shot Agent Carter two years later, and in the television series of the same name in 2015 and 2016.

In 2012, he appeared as vampire Henry Sturges in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and in 2014, he portrayed the main antagonist in two films: Dino Brewster in Need for Speed and Mehmed in Dracula Untold. Cooper depicted James Bond author Ian Fleming in the television mini-series Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond in 2014. The next year, Cooper appeared in two films, Miss You Already and The Lady in the Van.

Cooper plays Jesse Custer, the lead role in AMC's Preacher; the programme debuted in May 2016. Cooper co-starred in the Warcraft film adaptation, which was released in June 2016.

In late 2016, Cooper starred in a well-received West End revival of Stephen Jeffreys"? 1994 play, The Libertine at the Haymarket Theatre; he played John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, the role originated on stage by John Malkovich and played by Johnny Depp in the 2004 film.

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 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.

Personal life

Cooper shared a flat, for a time, with his co-star in The History Boys, James Corden, until Corden started a family with his wife, Julia Carey.

Cooper has been dating actress Ruth Negga since 2010, and the couple live together in London.

In August 2014, Cooper was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2001	From Hell	Constable
2001	Anazapta	Clerk
2002	The Gentleman Thief	PC Merrifield
2002	The Final Curtain	Young Priest
2003	Boudica
2003	I'll Be There	Boyfriend
2005	Breakfast on Pluto	Squaddie at disco
2006	Starter for 10	Spencer	Nominated - Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer
2006	The History Boys	Dakin	Nominated - ALFS Award for British Supporting Actor of the Year Nominated - British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer Nominated - Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer
2008	The Duchess	Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
2008	Mamma Mia!	Sky
2008	The Escapist	Lacey
2009	Brief Interviews with Hideous Men	Daniel / Subject 46
2009	Freefall	Dave Matthews
2009	An Education	Danny	Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2010	Tamara Drewe	Ben
2011	A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures	Sammy	Voice
2011	Captain America: The First Avenger	Howard Stark
2011	The Devil's Double	Latif Yahia / Uday Hussein	Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Actor
2011	My Week with Marilyn	Milton H. Greene	Capri Ensemble Cast Award
2012	Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter	Henry Sturges
2013	Dead Man Down	Darcy
2013	Summer in February	AJ Munnings
2013	Agent Carter	Howard Stark	Short film
2014	Reasonable Doubt	Mitch Brockden
2014	Need for Speed	Dino Brewster
2014	Dracula Untold	Mehmed the Second
2015	Miss You Already	Kit
2015	The Lady in the Van	Theatre Actor
2016	Warcraft	King Llane
2016	Stratton: First into Action	John Stratton	Completed

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2001	The Infinite Worlds of H. G. Wells	Sidney Davidson	Episode: "Davidson's Eyes"
2001	Band of Brothers	Allington	Episode: "Currahee"
2003	Sparkling Cyanide	Andy Hoffman	Television film
2004	Down To Earth	Danny Wood	Episode: "First Love"
2008	Sense and Sensibility	Mr. Willoughby	3 episodes
2008	God on Trial	Moche	Television film
2014	Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond	Ian Fleming	Miniseries Nominated - Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television
2015-16	Agent Carter	Howard Stark	5 episodes Nominated - Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series (2015) Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Guest Performance in a Television Series (2015)
2016-present	Preacher	Jesse Custer	Lead role

Radio

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2005	The All-Colour Vegetarian Cookbook	Damien
2006	The History Boys	Dakin

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2001	Mother Clap's Molly House	Thomas / Josh	Lyttelton Theatre Royal National Theatre
2002	Caryl Churchill Events		Royal Court Theatre
2002	A Midsummer Night's Dream	Puck	Royal Shakespeare Company
2003	Call to Prayer		Operating Theatre Company
2003-04	His Dark Materials	Will	Olivier Theatre Royal National Theatre
2004	The History Boys	Dakin	Lyttelton Theatre Royal National Theatre
2006	The History Boys	Dakin	Broadhurst Theatre Sydney Theatre St James Lyric Theatre Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Nominated - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
2009	Phdre	Hippolytus	Royal National Theatre Shakespeare Theatre Company
2016	The Libertine	John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester	Theatre Royal Haymarket