Cooper Friedman was born in Southern California where he began acting at the age of five, following in the footsteps of his older brother Quinn. After booking over 20 commercials, Cooper made his acting debut on the HBO series TOGETHERNESS starring Mark Duplass and Melanie Lynskey which he followed with a recurring role on the Nickelodeon series NICKY, RICKY, DICKY AND DAWN. He has also recurred on several other television series, most notably playing the role of “Dewey” on GIRL MEETS WORLD for Disney Channel as well asplaying ”Hudson” on the former USA series COLONY and “Lucas” on the long running Showtime series SHAMELESS.
In 2015, he booked the pilot CHEVY opposite Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo and later booked the pilot RAISED BY WOLVES with Craig T. Nelson. Additionally he has appeared on numerous other shows including CRIMINAL MINDS, SCANDAL,TEACHERS and the AMAZON series FOREVER with Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph, Cooper also recurred as Matthew Rhys son “Teddy” on the remake of PERRY MASON for HBO.
His resume also includes many feature film credits where he has worked with prominent actors such as playing Toni Colette’s son “Sam” in the comedy FUN MOM DINNER and Steve Carrell’s son “Bobby Riggs Jr” in the Fox Searchlight feature BATTLE OF THE SEXES. In 2019, he wrapped leads in the feature SMALL TOWN WISCONSIN which is currently in post production as well as the family film SECRET AGENT DINGLEDORF AND HIS TRUSTY DOG SPLAT.
He is currently recurring in the ABC hit show MIXED-SH and starred opposite J. Lee in the dark comedy feature ATYPICAL WEDNESDAY which was picked up by Gravitas Ventures. In addition, Cooper is a recurring guest star on 911-Lone Star on Fox. Currently, Cooper is one of the leads in the highly anticipated indie film, SMALLTOWN WISCONSIN and stars in the upcoming movie SECRET AGENT DINGLEDORF. Cooper won BEST YOUNG ACTOR IN A FEATURE FILM (WORLD COMPETITION) at the Seattle Film Festival.
Let’s find out more about Cooper in his exclusive interview with Teens Wanna Know!
Hello Cooper, nice to e-meet you! Tell us a little bit about yourself outside show business.
Hi, thanks for having me.
I am 13 years old and in 8th grade. I have an older brother Quinn, and younger sister, Madison. I love to swim, do karate, play video games, build puzzles, and spend time with my family and friends.
Great! Let’s talk about your new movie “Small Town Wisconsin.” Give us a brief rundown on your character and the plot (no spoilers!)
I play Tyler, a very fun loving and curious kid who adores his father. Tyler has to deal with his father’s demons as well as his parent’s divorce.
Why do you think people are going to want to watch it?
I think the movie is very grounded and relatable. It shows the wonderful relationship of a father and son as well as the dark side of alcoholism and how it can affect a family.
You’ve won a couple of awards for your acting in the film already, correct? Did you know the film was going to be so highly regarded when you first started working on it?
The film as well as the cast has won numerous awards at festivals. I was fortunate to win BEST YOUNG ACTOR IN A FEATURE FILM (WORLD COMPETITION) at the Seattle Film Festival. I knew the film had a great script and great cast and crew but I didn’t realize how wonderful it was until I saw it for the first time.
What was it like working with your screen dad, David Sullivan? Did you feel he became a father figure on set or was he more like a big brother/friend?
David is amazing and we had a lot of fun together on set as well as during our time off. We all went to some escape rooms and dinners together. I got to meet his son and spend time with him as well. David was like a father on set to me and I learned a lot from him.
What was the biggest challenge for you when making the film?
I think the biggest challenge was the location shooting. We filmed scenes on the freeway as well as at one of the biggest state fairs in the country. We had to film the scenes quickly and with as little takes as possible.
And your favorite part about the entire “Small Town Wisconsin” experience?
I think my favorite part about filming “Small Town Wisconsin “was the people I met and got to work with as well as the beautiful cities of Wisconsin we got to film at. We spent seven weeks in Wisconsin and it was so much fun exploring the state as well as seeing all the different locations we filmed at.
You’ve got some excellent credits under your belt, including Shameless and Girl Meets World. Which project would you say first made you feel like “this is it—I am a REAL actor!” and what made it special.
I think the first pilot I booked as a series regular was special. It was a pilot with Chevy Chase and Beverly D Angelo. The entire experience was really unforgettable. From meeting Chevy Chase and Beverly D Angelo to working at ABC Studios and various locations. It was a really cool experience. Unfortunately, the pilot was not picked up and made into a series.
What are your eventual goals in the entertainment industry?
I would love to act for the rest of my life. I would also love to do comedy someday, maybe something like Saturday Night Live.
Dream role?
My dream role would be to play a character in a Marvel movie. I think it would be super cool to play a character from a comic book. I love Marvel movies and being in one would be a dream come true.
Favorite social media influencer or channel and why?
I really like Mr. Beast’s YouTube channel. Through his channel, I believe his message is amazing especially during these hardships many people are dealing with.
Biggest pet peeve?
I hate when people move a table. The sound of the legs creaking against the floor is something I cannot stand.
What’s your “get pumped” song?
My go-to get pumped song would be anything with Eminem in it. His songs always get my blood pumping.
Secret fear?
I have always been afraid of bugs. Like my grandma, any type of bug freaks me out and annoys me.
What’s the last movie or show you watched, and give me a review…but you can only use TWO WORDS for the review : )
Usual Suspects: Ending Phenomenal
Tell me something people would be surprised to know about you.
I am a hard-core gamer. All-day and Every-day!
The one thing I cannot live without is__________.
My phone. I think that everyone from my generation would say that.
Tell me ONE food you REFUSE to eat and why?
I do not like chocolate, or anything made with chocolate. In fact, I do not like any sweets really except for gummy bears.
What else are you working on or have coming up next?
I just filmed a few episodes of the tv show 911-Lone Star. My Kings Hawaiian commercial just started airing this week.
Selfie time!
http://instagram.com/cooperjfriedman