What Is Chris Cooper's Net Worth?
Chris Cooper is an acclaimed American actor, director, and producer with a net worth of $6 million. He won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his performance as John Laroche in the 2002 film 'Adaptation.' With over 70 acting credits, Chris has starred in notable films like 'American Beauty' (1999), 'The Bourne Identity' (2002), 'Seabiscuit' (2003), 'Capote' (2005), 'The Town' (2010), 'The Muppets' (2011), 'August: Osage County' (2013), and 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' (2019), alongside miniseries like 'Lonesome Dove' (1989) and 'My House in Umbria' (2003).
He voiced characters in films such as 'Where the Wild Things Are' (2009) and 'Cars 3' (2017). In television, he appeared on the Hulu miniseries '11.22.63' (2016) and the Amazon Prime Video series 'Homecoming' (2020). Cooper made his directorial debut with the 'Nuts' segment in 'With/In: Volume 2' (2021) and executive produced the documentary 'Intelligent Lives' (2018). On Broadway, he performed as Ben Mercer in 'Of the Fields, Lately' (1980) and Torvald Helmer in 'A Doll's House, Part 2' (2017), earning a Tony nomination for Best Actor.
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Early Life
Born Christopher Walton Cooper on July 9, 1951, in Kansas City, Missouri, Chris was raised in Kansas City, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Houston. His father, Charles, was a doctor for the U.S. Air Force and a cattleman, while his mother was Mary Ann. The family had a cattle ranch near Leavenworth, Kansas, where they spent summers. Attending Southwest High School in Kansas City, Chris built sets for a local theater company.
After high school, he worked as a shop foreman at a repertory group, enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve to avoid the Vietnam War draft, and later studied set design at the University of Missouri before switching to acting as a sophomore. He also took dance classes at Stephens College for Women to combat his shyness. Graduating with degrees in Drama and Agriculture, Chris moved to New York City, earning a living through various jobs while studying acting with Wynn Handman and Stella Adler. He made his Broadway debut in David French's 'Of the Fields, Lately' in 1980.
Career
Chris Cooper's career began with guest-starring roles on soap operas 'All My Children' (1984) and 'Another World' (1985) before his first film, John Sayles' drama 'Matewan' (1987). He gained prominence with roles in 'Thousand Pieces of Gold' (1990), 'Guilty by Suspicion' (1991), 'City of Hope' (1991), 'This Boy's Life' (1993), and TV movies like 'In Broad Daylight' (1991) and 'Darrow' (1991). Cooper earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for 'Lone Star' (1996) and appeared in 'A Time to Kill' (1996).
His performances in 'Great Expectations' (1998), 'The Horse Whisperer' (1998), 'October Sky' (1999), and 'American Beauty' (1999) were critically acclaimed, earning him a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. Cooper co-starred in 'Me, Myself & Irene' (2000), 'The Patriot' (2000), and 'The Bourne Identity' (2002) and 'The Bourne Supremacy' (2004). His award-winning performance in 'Adaptation.' (2002) was followed by a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for 'Seabiscuit' (2003).
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Cooper received a Primetime Emmy nomination for 'My House in Umbria' (2003) and a Satellite Award nomination for 'Capote' (2005). He starred in ‘Jarhead’ (2005), ‘Syriana’ (2005), ‘Breach’ (2007), ‘The Kingdom’ (2007), and ‘New York, I Love You’ (2009), and portrayed Walt Whitman in the PBS series ‘American Experience’ (2008). His later works include 'The Tempest' (2010), 'The Company Men' (2010), 'Remember Me' (2010), 'Amigo' (2010), 'The Town' (2010), and playing Tex Richman in 'The Muppets' (2011).
In 2013, Cooper starred in ‘August: Osage County’ and had a cameo in 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' (2014). He portrayed J. D. Salinger in 'Coming Through the Rye' (2015) and voiced Smokey in 'Cars 3' (2017). In 2019, he acted alongside Tom Hanks in 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' and featured in 'Little Women.' In 2020, he appeared in the political satire 'Irresistible' and starred in the second season of 'Homecoming.' As of November 2021, he was cast in the Hulu film 'Boston Strangler.'
Personal Life
Chris married Marianne Leone in 1983. Their son, Jesse, born in 1987, had cerebral palsy and passed away in 2005. Despite challenges, Jesse inspired his parents profoundly. The couple founded the Jesse Cooper Foundation and have adopted numerous rescue dogs. Marianne continues to advocate for rescue animals and authored 'Jesse: A Mother's Story,' recounting their journey with Jesse.
Awards and Nominations
Chris won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for 'Adaptation.' in 2003. He received multiple accolades, including those from the Broadcast Film Critics Association, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and Chicago Film Critics Association. His performance in 'My House in Umbria' earned a Primetime Emmy nomination. In 2013, he was honored with a Capri Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally, he received the Austin Film Festival's Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award in 2015. His ensemble work in 'August: Osage County' and 'The Town' garnered ensemble cast awards from several critics' groups.
