Chris Cooper: October Sky, Jarhead, Remember Me...

Chris Cooper and Jake Gyllenhaal as John Hickam and Homer Hickam in "October Sky" (1999).
Jake Gyllenhaal with Sam Mendes and Chris Cooper at "Jarhead" LA Premiere on 27th October, 2005 in Los Angeles, CA.

Chris Cooper with Emilie de Ravin, father and daughter in "Remember Me" (2010).

Cooper spends most of his screen time in the tragic-romance Remember Me beating up Robert Pattinson for dating his daughter (Emilie de Ravin). He has also been onscreen for similar turns from a young Tobey Maguire (Seabiscuit) and Jake Gyllenhaal (Jarhead).

Chris Cooper played Lt. Col. Kazinski in Jarhead (2005).

"Some of the young actors have to realize that time is money in filmmaking, the budgets are getting tighter and tighter," he says, beginning a bit of a rant.

"And there's a theory among some actors that, 'Well, I don't want to know my lines completely, 'cause when I'm on camera, I want to struggle for the words, 'cause that makes me look more real.'

"Well, that doesn't always work. And then the actor is so unfamiliar with the lines that he kills a good take and he kills other people's work".

"It's the whole idea of coming prepared to do your day's work. And I've had to instill that on a couple of young actors, because it's real irritating when that happens."
So what does he think of Pattinson? "He's learning the ropes, but like a lot of those other guys, like Jake and Tobey, Robert is making good choices".
Robert Pattinson carrying the script of "Remember Me" on the N.Y. set.

"If I were at his age I couldn't have handled what he's up against ... that kind of phenomenal fan base. At the same time, that's his business. And we have a job to do and that shouldn't influence the work," he says, cryptically". Source: www.thebarrieexaminer.com