Festival Film
Political class
Chris Cooper talks to Miles Fielder about the left of centre views that inform his choice of film roles
hris (‘ooper's got pedigree. The 56-
year-old American actor began his
impressiye big screen career “ith the great independent l‘ilmmaker .lohn Say'les. making l'our films with him. including (‘ooper's [087 debut. the miner's union drama .llateu-an. and the excellent Tex-Mex murder mystery Lone Star. Hollyyyood called soon after. ol‘l'ering (‘ooper plumb parts in studio moy'ies such as American Beauty. in which he
80 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE .73 Atath Set‘
played a closet homosexual military man. and the Jason Bourne trilogy. in which he takes the
role of Matt Damon‘s (‘I.-\ nemesis. An ()scar
win for his supporting role as the eccentric orchid thiel‘ John Laroche in .-\tla/ttatimt cemented (‘ooper‘s reputation as a guy yyith
the easy screen presence of his yesteryear
namesake. (iary. but also marked him out as a formidable actor yy ith great range. (‘ooper‘s neyy l'ilm. Breach. represents his
www.list.co.uk/lilm
lirst leading role in a prestige studio picture. It recounts the true story of the treasonotIs l-lil agent Robert Hansscn yyho. for 22 years. sold secrets to the Soyicts. making him responsible l’or the must intelligence leak in American espionage history bel‘ore he \yas apprehended in 2l)()|. I-‘or ('oopcr. yy'ho's coming to the lidinburgh International l-‘ilm l‘estiyal tor the 1-‘ala Prctiiiere ol' lfreac/t and an ‘ln I’crson' masterclass session. the particular challenge and peculiar pleasure of playing the political reactionary. religions consery'atiyc and deeply contradictory llanssen arose from hoyy ycry unlike him the character is.
‘lt‘s part of the enjoyment and the challenge to take a cottiplctcly‘ dillcrent stance on lilcf (‘ooper says in the measured midyyestern drayyl that‘s stayed with him since his l‘ormatiy'e years growing up in Missouri. 'to embrace another character‘s politics and religious y'alues.
‘But oh nof he laughs. ‘I couldn‘t relate to his political y'ieyy's at all. 'l‘here's yery little I cati connect personally to Hanssen. other than e\treme shyness as a young person. adoring ltis \yil‘c. and being scct'etiyc l c‘titisitlct' myself a rather solitary person.'
(‘oopcr was raised on a cattle ranch outside of Kansas ('ity (\y here he was born). and yyorked with his father and older brother as a blue-collar coyy poke. "l‘hat was a Very attractiye lil'e yy hen l yyas younger.‘ ('ooper says. 'It was y'ery physical. and I considered \ery that sCi‘itillsJy as a lil‘e's yy'ork. But I alyyays had the theatre in the back ol‘ my mind. When I yy as lo or I7 I started breaking away from my friends who yl. ere getting into a bit (it petty crime I didn‘t yyant to be part of. so i ol‘l'ered my time at a local theatre in Kansas ('ity. doing anything. sweeping the floors. scene shil'ting. It was a great education to yyatch these actors eyery' night. My interest in acting started there.‘
(‘tmper studied drama ill the l'niy'ersity til~ Missouri. did a couple of years of summer stock. and then moyed to New York City. yy here he had a ball acting on stage for I2 years. In I983 he married the actress Marianne