Editing Chris Cooper (section)

==Early life==
Cooper was born on July 9, 1951, in [[Kansas City metropolitan area|Kansas City, Missouri]], the son of Charles and Mary Ann (Walton) Cooper.<ref name=obituary>{{cite web|title=Mary Ann Walton Cooper 1925 - 2015 Obituary|work=Muehlebach Funeral Care|url=http://www.muehlebachchapel.com/home/index.cfm/obituaries/view/fh_id/12016/id/3221273|access-date=August 21, 2016}}</ref><ref name=fr>{{cite web|title=Chris Cooper Biography (1951-)|work=Film Reference|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/21/Chris-Cooper.html|access-date=August 16, 2016}}</ref>  He has an older brother, Chuck Cooper (born 1948).<ref name=hollywood>{{cite web|title=Chris Cooper|work=Hollywood.com|date=February 27, 2013 |url=http://www.hollywood.com/celebrities/chris-cooper-57250720/|access-date=August 16, 2016}}</ref> His father was both a [[United States Air Force]] doctor and a cattleman, and his mother was a housewife.<ref name=nyt/><ref name=ct2>{{cite news|last=Dutka|first=Elaine|title=For this role, Cooper was willing to adapt (Part 2 of 2)|date=January 3, 2003|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/01/03/for-this-role-cooper-was-willing-to-adapt/|access-date=August 16, 2016}}</ref><ref name=mc>{{cite news|last=Longsdorf|first=Amy|title=Like Seabiscuit, Oscar winner Chris Cooper beats the odds|date=July 26, 2003|newspaper=[[The Morning Call]]|url=https://www.mcall.com/2003/07/26/like-seabiscuit-oscar-winner-chris-cooper-beats-the-odds/|access-date=August 16, 2016}}</ref>  Both of his parents were from [[Texas]].<ref name=nyt>{{cite news|last=Ryan|first=James|title=Mr. 'Last-Minute' Gets a Plum Role|date=June 30, 1996|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/30/movies/mr-last-minute-gets-a-plum-role.html|access-date=August 16, 2016}}</ref> Cooper grew up in the suburbs of Kansas City, and spent his summers at his family's cattle ranch, located about 15 miles west of [[Leavenworth, Kansas]].<ref name=nyt/><ref name=mc/>  As his father was in the Air Force, he and his family moved to [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], [[Phoenix, Arizona]], and [[Houston, Texas]].<ref name=ivry>{{cite news|last=Ivry|first=Bob|title=Chris Cooper's New Role|date=March 10, 1999|newspaper=[[Lakeland Ledger]]|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19990310&id=r5JNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6420,6206203|access-date=September 5, 2016}}</ref>  While attending Southwest High School in Kansas City, Cooper worked for a local theater company: "I had a background in carpentry, so I could build sets and work in the wings and shift scenes in the evening."<ref name=pi>{{cite news|last=Rea|first=Steven|title=From Actor, Echoes Of Another Cooper Chris Cooper Isn't Related To Gary, But The Star Of 'Lone Star' Has A Similar Presence.|date=July 15, 1996|newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|url=http://articles.philly.com/1996-07-15/entertainment/25622256_1_buddy-deeds-sam-deeds-lone-star|access-date=August 16, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915123141/http://articles.philly.com/1996-07-15/entertainment/25622256_1_buddy-deeds-sam-deeds-lone-star|archive-date=September 15, 2015}}</ref> After he graduated from high school, Cooper became the shop foreman for another repertory company.<ref name=pi/> He also considered helping his father raise cattle for a living.<ref name=mc/> Cooper served in the [[U.S. Coast Guard Reserve|Coast Guard Reserve]].<ref name=nyt/><ref name=pringle>{{cite news|last=Pringle|first=Gill|title=Chris Cooper: The man who played a patriot in American Beauty is now turning traitor in Breach|date=August 17, 2007|newspaper=[[Belfast Telegraph]]|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/chris-cooper-the-man-who-played-a-patriot-in-american-beauty-is-now-turning-traitor-in-breach-28061214.html|access-date=September 5, 2016}}</ref>

Cooper attended the [[University of Missouri]] and enrolled in the theater program, originally majoring in set design.<ref name=nyt/><ref name=pi/> It was during his sophomore year when Cooper changed his major to acting to overcome his "overpowering shyness."<ref name=nyt/> Cooper took acting classes at the University of Missouri.<ref name=mc/>  He recalled in a 1996 interview with ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'', "I started going in and watching some shows at the theater department. I started taking theater classes and auditioned for plays. And once I got into it, it was pretty immediate. I really felt right, felt at home."<ref name=pi/>  Cooper also took dance classes at [[Stephens College]].<ref name=ct2/><ref name=pringle/>

After he graduated from the University of Missouri, Cooper moved to [[New York City]] in 1976.<ref name=ct2/><ref name=nyt2/>  While living in New York, Cooper shared a one-bedroom railroad flat with four other aspiring actors and dancers.<ref name=nyt/> He supported himself by renovating apartments.<ref name=nyt/> In addition, he worked in construction and served as a janitor and a chauffeur.<ref name=ct2/> At the same time, he studied with [[Stella Adler]] and [[Wynn Handman]].<ref name=nyt/><ref name=ct2/><ref name=pi/> Prior to his film debut with ''[[Matewan]]'' (1987), Cooper spent the previous 12 years doing stage work with the [[Actors Theater of Louisville]] and the [[Seattle Repertory]].<ref name=ct2/><ref name=mc/>  In 1985, Cooper appeared in the [[London]] revival of ''[[Sweet Bird of Youth]]''.<ref name=nyt2>{{cite news|last=Blau|first=Eleanor|title=NEW FACE; FINDING A PERFECT FIT IN A ROLE IN 'MATEWAN'|date=September 4, 1987|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/04/movies/new-face-finding-a-perfect-fit-in-a-role-in-matewan.html|access-date=August 21, 2016}}</ref>