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Chris Cooper And The One Jerk

[Blind Gossip] Chris Cooper is one of the best character actors working today.

His talent is evidenced by his outstanding performances in more than fifty films, including the Bourne series, Seabiscuit, American Beauty, and The Horse Whisperer.

Most notably, Cooper won The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in Adaptation in 2002.

Fun fact: Cooper lost twenty pounds in three weeks to play his character, orchid poacher John Laroche.

Cooper recently did an interview for Boston Magazine in which he talked about his life and his work.

Here are a few highlights.

Q: Are people in Kingston [a small coastal town south of Boston] surprised to learn that they have an Oscar winner in the neighborhood?

A: Oh, I think very few people know or care that I live in Massachusetts. Marianne and I stay under the radar pretty well. The people in Kingston are wonderful. I go to the dump, run into the same guys, the same faces, and people are terrific.

How many movie stars do you know of that actually go the the dump themselves?

Fun fact: Cooper’s wife, Marianne Leone, played Christopher Moltisanti’s mother on The Sopranos!

Q: Can you do a Boston accent?

A: Did you see The Town? Ben Affleck supplied me with recordings of guys from Charlestown reading the dialogue. There was one in particular where I was just kind of like, “That’s the voice I want to try to imitate.”

Fun fact: Chris Cooper played Ben Affleck’s father in The Town.

Q: Does it bother you to be referred to as a “character actor”?

A: I love it. It’s a great honor to hear that. You don’t hear about too many character actors in the business anymore. I get to choose what I want to do. I’m away from L.A. and the business, which I think is really, really healthy. And I have an amazing wife whom I adore and love to be with. I don’t know, I just couldn’t be more content.

He sounds like a happy guy.

And now, a blind item!

Q: Is there anyone you’d never work with again, and why?

A: This is another thing where I feel really so blessed. I did a little TV movie years ago. It was a Western, and this guy was the lead. It seemed like from day one he got off on the wrong foot with everybody. He behaved as if he knew everything about cameras and lighting. And everyone was just so put off by him and his know-it-all attitude. But he’s the one jerk that I’ve worked with. And I would not be comfortable working with him again.

That doesn’t sound like fun.

Who do you think he was talking about?

Similar: Meryl Streep Is Not Involved

Actor and/or Project:

[Optional] Which working actor do you think is the biggest jerk in real life?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. keemjy says

    Going with Daniel over Ricky.

    For the question I pick lesser known creeps

    Jared Leto -actor/singer who loves underage I can’t believe he’s come out unscathed almost post me too

    Jeffrey DeanMorgan is a creep so fake. wake up woma/en, toxic, really hope he isn’t the kids’ father

  2. Navymommy says

    He said TV movie. Lonesome Dove is a mini-series. Definitely the Baldwin butthole.

  3. aaasuzyq says

    Either Daniel Baldwin in NED Blessing or Tommy Lee Jones in LONESOME DOVE. I chose Daniel because I think all Baldwins are ‘difficult’ and Tommy Lee already has a reputation on movie sets.

    Pretty sure Chris Cooper was in only a handful of westerns.

  4. Dana5570 says

    Can’t be Tommy Lee Jones. He worked again with him in The Company Men.
    I’m going with Ned Blessing, Daniel Baldwin.
    Optional: Tom Cruise. One word: Scientology.

  5. lorilm says

    Remember, the original Lonesome Dove is a TV miniseries, not strictly a TV movie.

    I think Daniel Baldwin in Ned Blessing

  6. amagod121 says

    Oh my, a Baldwin brother as a possible jerk to work with???? LOL LOL, not knowing about this guy, your description of the jerk made me immediately think of ALEC. But maybe another brother is more like him than we know?

  7. omgimbackagain says

    Oh I didn’t see the movie Ned Blessing – changing my guess to Daniel Baldwin. Every Baldwin is a jerk. I heard Alec on Stern since the pandemic, zooming in from his houseful of kids, and he was bad-mouthing one of his brothers, not in a joking way. They’re all so awful they don’t even like each other.

  11. mattaharpy says

    Matthew McConaughey, Lone Star

    Teri Hatcher (heard she was a ‘mare in that James Bond film)

  13. jokesonus says

    Daniel Baldwin, the lead in TV movie Ned Blessing.

    I can’t imagine any of the Baldwin’s are especially pleasant tbh.

  15. Msfittoys says

    Tommy Lee Jones/Lonesome Dove

    It could be mighty unpleasant working with Chevy Chase.

  20. rhiannon14 says

    Actor and/or Project: Ricky Schroder, “Return to Lonesome Dove”

    Jon Voight is also in the movie, but I’m going with Ricky because an immature person is more likely to want to throw their weight around. I worked in film production for a few years. It’s the B List stars that are usually the bigger jerks, because they’re insecure and desperately want more status.

  21. Jordan says

    I’ve checked IMDB and there are four contenders:

    1. Daniel Baldwin; Ned Blessing: The True Story of My Life
    2. Jon Voight; Return to Lonesome Dove
    3. Robert Duvall or Tommy Lee Jones; Lonesome Dove

    Not that this will ever be “solved”, but my money is on Daniel Baldwin. Even though there have been rumors about all three of the others, this story seems like the crew was surprised by the behavior, and DB would have been a newcomer at that time.

    OPTIONAL: Biggest jerk? Sean Penn,…

  22. janepublic says

    I bet this was Jon Voight from Lonesome Dove. He seems like a huge * and know it all.

    I think Chevy Chase is the biggest jerk out there. Complete dick to everyone.

  28. kittymyers says

    The movie was NED BLESSING and the actor was Daniel Baldwin … who must take after his brother Alec.

  29. grumpy says

    He did a TV movie with James Franco so I’m gonna say it’s James Franco

  38. plumplum says

    The biggest jerk in real life in Hollywood in my opinion is Steven Seagall . Hypocrite,awful person to work and to live. Loves teen girls.Fan of dictators.

  41. meeshpotatoes says

    Robert Duvaul
    Lonesome Dove
    A: Im not sure. Theres too many to mention.

  43. PomegranatePam says

    Tommy Lee Jones in Lonesome Dove, or Jon Voight in the second Lonesome Dove series? But I have to side eye anyone who has to go back 30 years to find “one” jerk in Hollywood.

  46. anarchistlibrarian says

    oh dear! i LOVE chris cooper, and one of my favourite films of his is the beautiful and understated “lone star” from 1996, also starring matthew mcconaughey, elizabeth peña, and kris kristofferson. it’s a WONDERFUL film! only… as it takes place in texas, could it count as a western? 🤔 i hope not, because i kind of love everyone who acted in that movie. he appeared in other, more “western” westerns before that, one of which also starred kris kristofferson…but he implied it was a one-off…

  47. Tallex says

    Daniel Baldwin in Ned Blessing. Just a guess from searching his Wikipedia.

    Christian Bale seems fun.

  52. trivialtime says

    Daniel Baldwin in Ned Blessing
    Biggest jerk: tom selleck. Just kidding, he’s a dreamboat, I don’t care how old he is.

  54. velmasboytoy says

    Daniel Baldwin, with whom Chris worked in the movie Ned Blessing: The True Story of My Life.

    Biggest Jerk: Ed Norton? Great actor, but has a rep.

  57. spookie says

    I can’t find many Western/TV in his background. Maybe he’s talking about Matthew McConaughey in Lone Star?

    Optional: Christian Bale and Michael Fassbender are two very talented actors I’ve heard unsavoury things about.

  58. Kellikopter says

    Gotta be Matthew McConaughey. He says he’d never work with that person again and he’s worked with Kris Kristofferson at least twice.

  59. bec215d says

    Going with “Ned Blessing”, made for TV movie from ’92, with Daniel Baldwin. Baldwin is a recovering alcoholic and born again Christian, but was doing crack and hard drugs when he was filming that movie – and was in and out of rehab until 2006.

  61. Amandavt70 says

    Im going to say Tommy Lee Jones, i cannot see Robert Duvall being like that but who knows, we used to get Lonesome Dove late at night in the UK. Ricky was not the main lead so im sure its not him.

  62. charlene2345 says

    Actor and/or Project: Daniel Baldwin, who is known for being difficult to get along with. TV movie was a Western called “Ned Blessing.”

  64. gailpow says

    Actor might be Kevin Costner, who has been in a few westerns. Biggest jerk in real life has got to be that sleazebag James Franco.

  68. hannahhkate says

    I’m guessing Robert Duvall, Lonesome Dove. I’ve always heard bad things about him and it’s the only Western TV movie that fit the bill.

    As for the optional… is Meghan Markle considered a working actor?

  71. mayer2816 says

    err he played in return to lonesome dove and ned blessing (both western), i would guess daniel baldwin is the jerk. that whole family are big-headed assholes.

  72. pancakephanny says

    Lonesome Dove?
    Tommy Lee Jones

    I love Chris Cooper. This guy has been in everything!

  73. omgimbackagain says

    I love him! He’s been in so many good movies. I’m going to guess the Western was the Lonesome Dove sequel, Return to Lonesome Dove, because Jon Voight seems kind of like a know-it-all. The original Lonesome Dove had Robert Duvall in the lead. He’s another of my favorites so I hope it wasn’t him.

    Optional: if you can still call James Franco a working actor, him. Chris Pratt also seems like a jerk. Chevy Chase. Omg so many seem like jerks. Leo DiCaprio! All those Jonah Hill Seth Rogan people…

  74. leahb16 says

    Actor and/or Project: Jon Voigt on “Return to Lonesome Dove”

    [Optional] Which working actor do you think is the biggest jerk in real life? Probably Alex Baldwin. He exudes jerkiness.

  77. taracu says

    Sounds like Lonesome Dove; the main characters were Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones.
    I’d be more inclined to think ROBERT DUVALL would be the crotchety know it all.

  78. MaryQuiteContrary says

    Actor and/or Project: Return to Lonesome Dove, Jon Voigt

    Which working actor do you think is the biggest jerk in real life?: Too many to list but I think Johnny Depp seems like a real d*ck.

  79. radmom says

    Chris Cooper worked on LonesomeDove with Tommie Lee Jones (who has a reputation as a jerk), and Return to Lonesome Dove with Jon Voight. My bet is on Tommie Lee Jones.

  82. WorkHardBeNice says

    Love Chris Cooper!
    I’m guessing it’s Tommy Lee Jones in Lonesome Dove. Ol’ Tommy’s got RBF real bad.

    *Optional: Jim Carrey. Sooo full of vitriol and ugliness.
    And after the way he treated that poor girl…..

  85. Ninjafluff says

    Actor and/or Project: Daniel Baldwin-Ned Blessing

    Biggest jerk as an actor- Tom Cruise

  86. MinnieMe says

    Ned Blessing: The True Story of my LIfe. Daniel Baldwin played Ned Blessing.

    Ben Affleck

  87. tforce7878 says

    Lonesome Dove
    Tommy Lee Jones “Captain Woodrow F. Call”

    It better not be Gus!!! Robert Duvall is my favorite actor!!!!

  88. don vito says

    This is Daniel Baldwin in the movie Ned Blessing: The True Story of My Life

  89. QubbuQ says

    I believe the TV movie was Ned Blessing: The True Story of My Life (1992) and the lead actor was Daniel Baldwin. yep.

    Biggest jerk? All of the actors who demand that crew don’t look at them, and those that yell at and demean others. I think there are too many to list – I keep hearing about new ones.

  93. findthetime says

    Chris Cooper is one of my favorite actors, character or not. He is brilliant. Also, Lonesome Dove is one of my favorite books and mini series. I thought the casting was perfect. I guess he is talking about Robert Duvall, unfortunately, because he is the perfect Augustus McCrea. The other lead was Tommy Lee Jones as Woodrow Call and I don’t think it’s him.

  95. MrsCleaver says

    He did a movie for TV Called “Ned Blessing” a western, with Daniel Baldwin. So I totally believe it’s him. Those Baldwin boys can be nasty.
    I’ve never heard a good word about Chevy Chase, except from Beverly d’Angelo whose whole career depends on him. IF you consider him still a working actor. Mel Gibson is a jerk in real life too.

  99. Midwestgurl says

    Actor: Robert Duvall.

    Optional: I live thousands of miles from Hollywood, so have no idea, but I’ve consistently heard bad things about Jeremy Piven.

  102. dunkness73 says

    My guess for the Big Jerk Is Ewan McGreggor. They were in a western TV Movie together and I could see Ewan being self involved

  105. darnda says

    Daniel Baldwin from the Ned Bleasing movie. All the Baldwin’s seem to have a screw lose and the related blind has a picture of Alex Baldwin.

    The biggest jerk actor is Jim Carey.

  106. KrazyCatLady says

    After a little research I’m going w Daniel Baldwin. Sorry dude, I’m too lazy to research but your family be cray cray. Ned Blessing. Story of my Life. TV movie. Not final answer. I’ll keep looking.

  108. kellyp says

    Lonesome Dove and the actor is Robert Duvall, who can be pretty intense.

    Working actor who is the biggest jerk? Robert DeNiro? Harrison Ford? So many choices!

  110. yankgirl13 says

    He was in Lonesome Dove with Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. I’m going with Tommy….

  111. redbus says

    tommy lee jones in lonesome dove…I don’t want it to be robert duvall
    I think although talents christian bale is a scary dude.

  114. High Steppa says

    I love Chris Cooper. He was outstanding in American Beauty and A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood. I think the TV movie is A Thousand Pieces of Gold with maybe Michael Paul Chan as the jerk. But not that I’ve heard anything about him being a jerk from any other source.