Dominic Cooper

Dominic Cooper (born 2.6.1978) Dominic Cooper is an English actor. He is best known for his performances in the films Mamma Mia! and The History Boys.

Dominic Cooper: Childhood

Dominic Cooper was born and raised in Greenwich, in London. His mother, Julia, was a nursery school teacher and his father, Brian, was an auctioneer. His connection to film dates back to his grandmother, E.T. Heron, who published The Kinematograph Weekly journal.

Cooper went to school at John Ball Primary - the same school attended by Jude Law. He went on to attend the Thomas Tallis school in the Blackheath area of London and went on to train at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, where he graduated in 2000.

Dominic Cooper: Career

Dominic Cooper began his acting career working in film and television. Then, in 2001, he made his debut on the stage at Mother Clap's Molly House at the National Theatre. He was involved in the production of Alan Bennett's play The History Boys from the very first reading of the play. He toured with the production to places such as Sydney, Broadway and Hong Kong, as well as making appearances in radio and film adaptations of the play. In 2006, he was awarded a Drama Desk Award for his work in the play.

Dominic Cooper has also undertaken work in a number of commercials, including an ad for Durex.

Cooper has also landed a number of other significant roles, including the Royal National Theatre's adaptation of Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, where he played the lead character, Will Parry.

In Mamma Mia!, which also starred Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried and Pierce Brosnan. Dominic Cooper then went on to star opposite Keira Knightley in The Duchess. The film also starred Ralph Fiennes, Hayley Atwell and Charlotte Rampling.

2008 also saw Dominic Cooper appear in a The Escapist, featuring Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Damian Lewis and Liam Cunningham.

In 2009, Dominic Cooper featured in an adaptation of An Education, a novel by Nick Hornby. The film version also starred Carey Mulligan, Emma Thompson, Rosamund Pike and Peter Sarsgaard. The film also featured the comic actor James Corden; Cooper went on to appear on Corden's sketch show Horne and Corden. Later that year, he returned to the stage and played Hippolytus in Phedre, alongside Helen Mirren and Margaret Tyzack, at the National Theatre.

Dominic Cooper: Personal Life

Dominic Cooper was dating the Mamma Mia star Amanda Seyfried but the relationship was put under strain as they lived in separate countries and eventually ended.