Introducing Dominic Cooper

03 September 2008

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With the likes of James McAvoy, Orlando Bloom and more recently ben Barnes grabbing the headlines London born actor Dominic Cooper has stayed out of the limelight and has quietly been making a name for himself on stage and screen.

This week sees him back in theatres as Prime Minister Earl Grey in The Duchess, which stars Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes.

The Duchess is the second movies of the summer for the thirty year old after hit musical Mamma Mia in July which took the box office by storm.

Born and raised in London Cooper trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) graduating in 2000. Like many young actors before him he began his career working in television and radio working on The Infinite Worlds of H.G Wells: Davidson's Eyes and Down to Earth.

He then moved into the theatre treading the boards at the National Theatre in the 2001 production of Mother Clap's Molly House before working with the Royal Shakespeare Company in A Midsummer Night's Dream, as well as taking on small movie roles in From Hell and The Final Curtain.

But it would be Alan Bennett's The History Boys that would propel Cooper to stardom when he landed the role of Dakin for the National Theatre production, which went on tour in Hong Kong, Wellington and Sydney.

In 2006 the stage show was adapted by Alan Bennett for the big screen featuring all of the original stage cast, including Cooper.

The British film was met well by the critics and was nominated for the 2007 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film as well as launching the film career of Cooper.

Since then he has gone on to star in Starter for Ten with James McAvoy, an adaptation of the novel by David Nicholls, and The Escapist with Brian Cox and Joseph Fiennes.

This summer the young actor has enjoyed major success as part of Mamma Mia's ensemble cast that includes Meryl Streep and former 007 Pierce Brosnan.

Streep heads the cast as single mother Donna Sheridan. Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard play the three potential fathers to Donna's daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) who is about to marry Sky (Cooper).

Despite receiving mixed reviews from the critics the film has enjoyed major box office success this summer so far grossing $332.6 million.

Cooper's new role sees him move from musical to period drama as he takes on the role of wannabe politician, and eventual Prime Minister, Earl Grey in The Duchess.

His new role see him take over the role ear-marked for Orlando Bloom in An Education a coming of age drama.

The Duchess is released 5th September.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw

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