Vancouver attracts many talented performers. Each one has an amazing story to tell. Jeff Cooper is no exception.
We spoke with Jeff about his career, working on set in Vancouver, and the impact of comedy improvisation.
HNMAG: You’re originally from Alberta?
Jeff Cooper: Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, yes.
HNMAG: How old were you when you moved to Vancouver?
Jeff Cooper: I just finished university. I was twenty-four.
HNMAG: Were you interested in performing as a kid?
Jeff Cooper: Oddly not. I’d always been artistic but performance wasn’t actually something I considered until late in life. I feel though that it’s very similar to a lot of the other things that I’d done.
HNMAG: What got you interested in actually performing?
Jeff Cooper: Here’s the long story. I moved to Vancouver to work as a graphic artist, which slowly turned into doing what was called “multimedia” at the time. Multimedia turned into software, and before too long, my business partner and I had a software company. We’d developed a product and sold it. After that, I started to explore other things. One idea was an animated series that I pitched to my friend Grahaeme, a very talented animator. We developed a series and produced a pilot which I cast myself in. When it came time to record, I had no training whatsoever. I could do voices and I thought I could handle this part that I wrote for myself. Instead, I totally shit the bed and ultimately had to cast somebody else. After that humiliating experience, I decided that I should take a voice acting class. I wanted to take an improv class as well. I thought that would help me loosen up a little bit if I was ever given another opportunity to perform.
HNMAG: The pilot was Impotents.
Jeff Cooper: Impotents, correct, yes.
HNMAG: Did you end up selling that?
Jeff Cooper: Nope! We pitched it. We had some good feedback from it, but at the end of the day, the content was probably a little too edgy for the market.
HNMAG: You took an improv class. Was that with the Improv Centre or TheatreSports?
Jeff Cooper: Yes, with Vancouver TheatreSports. That was my first-ever improv class.
HNMAG: You obviously liked that and then continued along with classes from there.
Jeff Cooper: Exactly, I kept doing it and built a real passion. I was taking classes everywhere I could. Enrolled with all the outfits in town. Even a little training in LA with UCB (Upright Citizen’s Brigade.)
HNMAG: Nice.
Jeff Cooper: At some point, I decided to supplement my improv with an acting class. After that, I decided that performing was something that I liked and I fell into that pretty quickly.
HNMAG: What was that class?
Jeff Cooper: The first class I took was at Anthony Mendel’s Actors Workshop. It was a good experience because it was it was similar to improv–not heavily focused on memorizing or analyzing scripts. It was more about reacting naturally and emotionally in the moment.
HNMAG: Similar to Meisner?
Jeff Cooper: A little bit but it’s its own thing. I did it for a year as I was getting started. The very first scene I worked on was with a prominent photographer in the city. We got along and she offered to take my headshots.
HNMAG: Nice.
Jeff Cooper: She also very kindly submitted them to a couple of agencies, and before long, I had an agent. Looking back, I really didn’t know what I was doing.
HNMAG: Your friend from class, took your headshot and then found an agent for you?
Jeff Cooper: She got me a few meetings. I made a deal with one of them and I’ve been with the same agency ever since.
HNMAG: You are still with Premiere, that’s terrific. She found a good one and it worked out. Do you still use her headshot?
Jeff Cooper: They’ve been updated a few times since.
HNMAG: You got more work in film and television. Would you say your bread and butter is in commercials for you, in terms of supporting your acting career?
Jeff Cooper: Right now yes. I’m a non-union actor. Commercials are what I’m going out for 90% of the time.
HNMAG: What fills that other ten percent?
Jeff Cooper: That would be indie films or just other random non-union projects.
HNMAG: And what else keeps you busy?
Jeff Cooper: I find myself being very busy with voice acting, teaching improv classes and workshops, and just random gigs around town–hosting Murder Mysteries for example.
HNMAG: How did you get into voice acting?
Jeff Cooper: Voice acting was the first class that I had signed up for after the experience of being in the booth. This was at On The Mic Training.
HNMAG: That led to paying work for you.
Jeff Cooper: Yes, Eventually. I’ve done lots of different things in voice. I’ve had a great experience.
HNMAG: You’ve booked a number of film and television roles. You’ve played Gord twice on Family Law.
Jeff Cooper: Correct, yes.
HNMAG: Family Law, for people that don’t know, is a Vancouver-based drama that is actually set in Vancouver.
Jeff Cooper: This is true. It’s a really fun show. I was really excited to do that project because this is a series that I like watching.
HNMAG: There’s a pride in that they’re using Vancouver as Vancouver.
Jeff Cooper: Yeah, I think that’s great. I’d love to see more series like that.
HNMAG: One thing that sets Family Law apart, is how pretty Vancouver is on screen. Family Law has these great shots of Granville Island…
Jeff Cooper: The Seawall, Shaughnessy… yes, it’s really pretty to look at.
HNMAG: Which is nice. A lot of shows that are set in the States have to hide the real location, where it might be easier for Family Law. They don’t have to hide anything.
Jeff Cooper: I like Vancouver a lot more as Vancouver than Seattle or New York…
HNMAG: You have a podcast, Adventures in Improv.
Jeff Cooper: Yes, I haven’t done an episode in a hot minute. I was rolling out most of them during the pandemic but I got to meet some improv heroes of mine.
HNMAG: How did you get in touch with Matt Besser?
Jeff Cooper: I had dug up an email address online. I wrote to him, not knowing if it was a legitimate email address. I sent the email and headed off to the gym. About thirty minutes later, he said I’ll do it, but I want to do it right now.
HNMAG: Ok.
Jeff Cooper: I cut my workout short, ran back to meet him, and we did it. I didn’t get the opportunity to do any research aside from what I already knew. For most of the interviews, I would spend hours and hours researching these people to the point where I felt like I could just jump into a conversation with them and discuss topics that I knew they were interested in. That one was more challenging.
HNMAG: He must have been able to say yes and whatever you’re coming up with?
Jeff Cooper: Most of the time. Haha.
HNMAG: What are you up to now?
Jeff Cooper: I’m in the recording studio tomorrow morning.
HNMAG: For voiceover?
Jeff Cooper: Voiceover, yeah.
HNMAG: You’re one of the main stage performers at The Improv Centre. People can come to see you. You also teach there.
Jeff Cooper: I do teach there. I also teach some improv at On the Mic, to go full circle.
HNMAG: At The Improv Centre, do they have drop-ins for people who wanna check it out?
Jeff Cooper: Absolutely! Every Saturday, we do a workshop. There’s no pressure, you just pay a small fee to drop in and learn the basics.
HNMAG: What time is that workshop?
Jeff Cooper: Three-thirty.
HNMAG: Reflecting on your experience, how would you some it up?
Jeff Cooper: What might make my story unique is that I came into this quite late in life. I took my first acting class when I was 40. My advice for anyone considering pursuing this later in life would be to dive in. There is a lot that you can bring to the table, even if you don’t have the technical performance experience. A lot of life’s skills are transferable. Everything that I had done in my career, leading up to what I do now, benefited me. I’m not sure that I would have had the maturity to stick with this at a younger age. It certainly comes with its challenges, and I feel like I’m in a better position to take them on.
HNMAG: Is that for acting, improv or both?
Jeff Cooper: Everything. Teaching, voiceover…etc. In some respects, all the arts are the same. It’s a matter of applying what you know. I studied painting and music when I was in university. A lot of those principles that I learned I can apply directly to the stuff that I do now.
HNMAG: It works vice versa with improv. It especially helps with other skills in terms of active listening, idea generation, and just being open…
Jeff Cooper: Spontaneous.
HNMAG: Yes, and spontaneous.
Jeff Cooper: 100%! Improv has changed my life as it has done for a lot of people. It’s changed my perspective on life and how I live it.
It was great to speak with a very talented performer who found his calling in a variety of creative ways in Vancouver. Jeff Cooper found his passion in a new career. Jeff learned a lot along the way and now gives that back by helping others with that same dream. Jeff is also fortunate to do the work he loves to support himself. We wish Jeff continued success on his magical journey.