Dominic Cooper has had starring roles in Mamma Mia! and The History Boys and is currently promoting crime drama Need For Speed, but in spite of his silver screen success, the actor believes it's important to stay grounded. "You see how some people can get sucked into it because it’s a very privileged life," Dominic told the Metro. "But you need to keep yourself in touch with reality."
The 35-year-old added that he thinks it is particularly important for actors to remain down-to-earth, due to the nature of their job. "You need to be able to observe people and try to understand other people’s lives," he said. "Some people make the mistake of removing themselves from that because they can’t cope with their new lives living among it. But that’s the best thing for anyone who is a performer. "You have to be in touch with the world and people’s emotions and what they’re reacting to in order to keep your work real and heartfelt."
Greenwich-born Dominic, who previously lived with his friend and Starter for 10 co-star James Corden, also opened up about the path that led him to acting. "The school I went to in south London had an incredible drama teacher who inspired me in a way that the school hadn’t done academically," he said. "It wasn’t in my family and I didn’t know anyone who’d been to drama school. "The teacher took us to see plays and told me I could earn a living from it," he added. "She said I could think about going to drama school."
Despite leaving his application to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts to the last minute, Dominic was fortunate enough to gain a place to study at LAMDA for three years, which ultimately led to his first job in theatre. "It was a series of very lucky moments that led me into believing it could be a possibility for a career," said Dominic. "I was very fortunate."
