Jesse Lanier Cooper was born prematurely in October 1987. Jesse’s father is Chris Cooper, an American actor, and his mother is Marianne Leone, an American film and television actress. He was their only child.
His mother was just six months pregnant when Jesse was born. Barely a week after Jesse was born, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage leading to cerebral palsy. While growing up, it was tough for him; his parents moved around searching for schools for children with special needs. All that time, while looking for the best school for their son, they advocated for children with special needs.
For Chris Cooper and his wife, Jesse was the best thing that happened to them; even though he used a wheelchair and only communicated through his computer, he was just incredible, and they loved him.
Education
Even though Jesse’s parents looked for the best school for their son, Jesse was finally accepted to a regular school, joining Silver Lake Regional High School, where he became an Honor student. While in an interview, his father said that they fought hard to get Jesse to regular school, and he was happy that he was doing great.
His Father
Chris Cooper enrolled in a theatre program in college; at the time of his enrollment, he was majoring in set design but then changed to acting in his sophomore year. He took acting classes and watched theater shows, and soon after, he auditioned for theater plays.
After completing college, Jesse’s father did some stage work with Actors Theater of Louisville before making his Broadway stage debut in 1980 in the play, Of the Fields, Lately. Chris made his film debut in 1987 in the film Matewan. His other early appearances include the miniseries Lonesome Dove and the drama Thousand Pieces of Gold.
Jesse Cooper’s father later appeared on Money Train as a psychotic pyromaniac, as Deputy Dwayne Looney in the film A Time to Kill, Frank Booker in The Horse Whisperer, and Ron Hacksby in The 24 Hour Woman, among other roles.
On television, Chris Cooper made his debut in 1987 when he played Michael in The Equalizer. His later performances on television include Mr. Hawkins in Lifestories, Roy Payne in Law & Order, and Leonard Geist in the second season of Homecoming.
Jesse’s father received his first nomination in 2000, the same time he won his first award in the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Chris also received nominations in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2014, and 2017.
Jesse’s Father’s Net Worth
Jesse’s father has been in the film industry for over 50 years featuring in several films and television shows. For his many appearances, he has made a lot of wealth, and his net worth is estimated to be approximately 6 million dollars.
Jesse’s Death
Jesse died on January 3, 2005, from Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), a complication of epilepsy. His parents set up a memorial fund named Jesse Cooper Foundation for their son. Jesse Cooper’s father mentions that his son’s death helped him understand his roles, including; playing Phil Eastwood in Demolition.
