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Chris Cooper

Chris Cooper

Actor, also producer and director · Born July 9, 1951 (75) · Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Oscar winner · Golden Globe winner · Screen Actors Guild Award winner · 4 other major award bodies

Christopher Walton Cooper (born July 9, 1951) is an American actor. He has appeared in supporting performances in several major Hollywood films, including American Beauty (1999), October Sky (1999), The Bourne Identity (2002), Seabiscuit (2003), Capote (2005), Syriana (2005), The Kingdom (2007), Where the Wild Things Are (2009), The Town (2010), The Muppets (2011), Cars 3 (2017), A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019), and Little Women (2019). He also portrayed Sheriff July Johnson in the acclaimed miniseries Lonesome Dove, which became one of the most successful Westerns in history. Cooper won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as John Laroche in the 2002 film Adaptation. He played a lead role in the historical and political thriller Breach (2007), playing FBI agent and traitor Robert Hanssen. He played Daniel Sloan in the 2012 political thriller The Company You Keep, and supervillain Norman Osborn in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014). He also portrayed Al Templeton on the 2016 Hulu miniseries 11.22.63. He is a frequent collaborator with director John Sayles, including Matewan (1987), City of Hope (1991), Lone Star (1996), Silver City (2004) and Amigo (2010). Description above from the Wikipedia article Chris Cooper, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 9, 1951 (75)
From
Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer and director
Titles
69 on MovieCove · 83 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 31% in 30 days

What are Chris Cooper's films like?

Across their 60 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Genres

Drama21 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 88th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 84th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
28%
Morality
20%
Bonds
19%
Survival
10%
Power
10%
Society
10%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds15 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity13 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose12 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 56 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 15 · Serious 16 · Dark 25

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 36 · Stylized 13 · Heightened 7

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 11 · Charged 28 · Intense 17

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 21 · Shifting 28 · Whiplash 7

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 36 · Some laughs 18 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 28 · Even-paced 26 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 21 · Engaged 27 · Full focus 8

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 14 · Affecting 21 · Heavy 21

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 30 · Open-ended 17 · Ambiguous 9

Roles they play

34 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 11 of 34 analyzed roles.

Mentor
11 of 34
Shadow
9 of 34
Ally
4 of 34
Hero
3 of 34
Threshold guardian
3 of 34
Herald
2 of 34
Trickster
1 of 34
Shapeshifter
1 of 34
Show the 34 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
36
Melancholic
32
Contemplative
21
Hopeful
19
Warm
10
Other
46

How their films linger

Thought-provoking29 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet23 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful23 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 12 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet36
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous10
  • Other2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Chris Cooper's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 48 of their 69 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (19).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Chris Cooper's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

83 credits, 69 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Unscripted Lives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Executive Producer

  • The History of Sound(2025)

    as Older Lionel

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Everything's Going to Be Great(2025)

    as Walter

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Boston Strangler(2023)

    as Jack Maclaine

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • With/In: Volume 2(2021)

    Director · as (segment "Nuts")

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Irresistible(2020)

    as Jack Hastings

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Little Women(2019)

    as Mr. Laurence

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood(2019)

    as Jerry Vogel

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Henrietta Bulkowski (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Danny Wilcox

  • Homecoming(2018)

    Show 7 episodes · as Leonard Geist

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Intelligent Lives(2018)

    Executive Producer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Cars 3(2017)

    as Smokey (voice)

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Live by Night(2016)

    as Chief Irving Figgis

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Coming Through the Rye(2015)

    as J.D. Salinger

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Demolition(2015)

    as Phil Eastwood

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Fastball(2016)

    as Clifford Blankenship (voice)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • 11.22.63(2016)

    Show 8 episodes · as Al Templeton

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • The Amazing Spider-Man 2(2014)

    as Norman Osborn (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • August: Osage County(2013)

    as Charlie Aiken

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Company You Keep(2012)

    as Daniel Sloan

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God(2012)

    as Gary (voice)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Muppets(2011)

    as Tex Richman

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Amigo(2010)

    as Col. Hardacre

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • The Company Men(2010)

    as Phil Woodward

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Town(2010)

    as Stephen MacRay

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Tempest(2010)

    as Antonio

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Remember Me(2010)

    as Neil Craig

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Jake Gyllenhaal Challenges the Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Lt. Col. Kazinski (archive footage)

  • Where the Wild Things Are(2009)

    as Douglas (voice)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Extreme Movie(2008)

    as FBI Agent Mike (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • New York, I Love You(2008)

    as Alex

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Walt Whitman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Walt Whitman (voice)

  • Married Life(2007)

    as Harry Allen

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Kingdom(2007)

    as Grant Sykes

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Breach(2007)

    as Robert Hanssen

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Primo Levi's Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Narrator (voice) (U.S. version)

  • Syriana(2005)

    as Jimmy Pope

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Jarhead(2005)

    as Lt. Col. Kazinski

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Capote(2005)

    as Alvin Dewey

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Silver City(2004)

    as Dickie Pilager

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Bourne Supremacy(2004)

    as Alexander Conklin (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Seabiscuit(2003)

    as Tom Smith

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • My House in Umbria(2003)

    as Thomas 'Tom' Riversmith

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Adaptation.(2002)

    as John Laroche

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Bourne Identity(2002)

    as Alexander Conklin

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Interstate 60(2002)

    as Bob Cody

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Patriot(2000)

    as Col. Harry Burwell

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Me, Myself & Irene(2000)

    as Lieutenant Gerke

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • American Beauty(1999)

    as Colonel Fitts

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • October Sky(1999)

    as John Hickam

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The 24 Hour Woman(1999)

    as Ron Hacksby

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Horse Whisperer(1998)

    as Frank Booker

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Great Expectations(1998)

    as Joe

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Alone(1997)

    as Gus Jr.

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Breast Men(1997)

    as Dr. William Larson

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • A Time to Kill(1996)

    as Dwayne Looney

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Lone Star(1996)

    as Sam Deeds

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Boys(1996)

    as Mr. John Baker

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Deliverance of Elaine(1996)

    as Charlie Skyler

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Money Train(1995)

    as Torch

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Pharaoh's Army(1995)

    as Captain John Hull Abston

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • One More Mountain(1994)

    as Jack Reed

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Return to Lonesome Dove(1993)

    Show 4 episodes · as July Johnson

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • This Boy's Life(1993)

    as Roy

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Ned Blessing: The True Story of My Life(1992)

    as Anthony Blessing

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Bed of Lies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Price Daniel, Jr.

  • City of Hope(1991)

    as Riggs

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • To The Moon, Alice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Frank Wiliker

  • Darrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Eugene Debs

  • Thousand Pieces of Gold(1990)

    as Charlie

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Guilty by Suspicion(1991)

    as Larry Nolan

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • In Broad Daylight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Jack Wilson

  • A Little Piece of Sunshine(1990)

    as Ernie Favaro

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Defense Attorney Roy Payne

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Lonesome Dove(1989)

    Show 4 episodes · as July Johnson

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • American Experience(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Matewan(1987)

    as Joe Kenehan

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Equalizer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael

  • Miami Vice(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Jimmy Yagovitch

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Bad Timing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Eddie

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Charlie Bemis · as Eugene Debs · as Louis Halladay

  • I Passed This Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Light on Broken Glass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Jay

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 83 titles, 81 of them dated from 1982 to 2025; peak year 1999.

Biggest box office

Cars 3 (2017)

$384M worldwide

Highest rated

American Beauty (1999)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Cars 3 (2017)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19822025

Peak 1999 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 22 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1987Screen debut· Matewan
  • 1987First top-billed film· Matewan
  • 1999Screen Actors Guild Award win· American Beauty
  • 2002Oscar win· Adaptation.
  • 2003Screen Actors Guild Award nomination· Seabiscuit
  • 2005Screen Actors Guild Award nomination· Capote
Show 3 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting81 of 83: 80 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score74thDirecting1 of 83: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing2 of 83: 2 only producing, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s7 · acting1990s26 · acting2000s20 · acting2010s22 · 21 acting · 1 crew2020s6 · 5 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 6% of 48 roles
879702071217

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award and 1 other major award from 14 major nominations, 1997–2014.

WinNomination
  1. 2014
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  2. 2006
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  3. 2004
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
  4. 2003
    • Oscar, won · Best Actor in a Supporting Role
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Supporting Actor
  5. 2000
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
  6. 1997
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Male Lead

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Chris Cooper's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 72nd percentile, the median of all 62; across their 56 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 71st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 56

Approval · how many liked their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 56

Reach · how many have seen their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 56

Midcredits score across 69 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up35
  • 50th to 74th18
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

35 of their 69 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved14
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic5
  • Crowd Pleaser35
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor, producer

Intelligent Lives (2018)

97th percentile spread · 31% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

American Beauty (1999)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 51 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 53. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Chris Cooper's work okay for kids?

Across up to 39 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore32 titles18–77 · median 53 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity39 titles7–65 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity35 titles26–86 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs32 titles13–62 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense32 titles14–67 · median 52 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Chris Cooper work with?

People who share at least 2 of Chris Cooper's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Sayles shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles