DOMINIC COOPER (Mamma Mia!), star of An Education, chats about the appeal of Nick Hornby’s writing, 1960s music, and teenage rebellion.
MMM: Why did Lynn Barber’s memoirs prove irresistible?
Cooper: I found out about it quite late on, although I was very attracted to it immediately because I knew that it was Nick Hornby’s original screenplay. I grew up with his books, loving his books. I knew nothing about Lynn Barber’s memoirs at all, but knowing that it was a screenplay by Nick I was very interested in it. I read it and loved it, and then didn’t hear anything about it for months, but then was told I needed to be on set the following day to film! That’s how I came to it.
Dominic Cooper with on-screen girlfriend Rosamund Pike
MMM: What was it about your character Danny that attracted you?
Cooper: Well, I found him quite interesting because he is the one person who’s from the world that all the others are desperate to be part of. I think he probably comes from a very affluent, very educated world. He has everything he desires. He has a very particular taste. He knows all the things he likes and wants.
He has enough wealth, which always begs the question of why he goes around stealing pictures from old women’s walls at night. But it’s probably for the absolute thrill of it. And I think he probably lets things pass with regards to his friend.
I feel like he’s probably seen this happen time and time again, but suddenly he’s confronted by a girl who suddenly enters his world who is as fascinated and excited as he is in all the riches he has, and the culture and the music that he’s interested in.
And I think that completely throws him and, for once, he makes a stand against his friend and feels a lot of care and almost love towards this girl. He vaguely says something to his friend, but it’s a very difficult thing to confront a friend and tell them you don’t agree with what they’re doing. And he ultimately he becomes rather nasty again and shielded. So there’s a very dark side to him, but he attempts to have some sort of moral value.
Dominic with co-star Peter Sarsgaard
MMM: Is there anything from the 60s you wish you could have experienced?
Cooper: I think it would have been terribly exciting to experience the transition that was about to take place with the music and the fact that The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were recording.
Music was about to change dramatically and, certainly in my life, I’ve never experienced a culture that has changed that much. I think that would have been tremendously exciting. Our film is set on the cusp of that.
MMM: Were you a rebellious teenager?
Cooper: Yeah, I stupidly ignored education completely and couldn’t understand what I was doing there or what people were trying to teach me. I found it particularly dull and was much preferred to cause chaos and have fun. I now regret this massively but luckily just managed to get some sort of academic results to lead me onto the next section of life. I was terribly rebellious and feel very guilty towards the teachers who were prepared to spend their time trying to teach a bunch of morons stuff they knew, which we weren’t prepared to learn about. But I blame the school! [Laughs]
MMM: How much did getting into costume inform who you are? And is there anything you’d have like to have kept?
Cooper: I’d have liked to have walked off with most of mine but they don’t allow you to anymore. It’s impossible to get away with it. But costume always helps you get in to character; it makes you feel much more part of the world you’re supposed to be inhabiting. You’re desperate for anything to help you out. The fact we all had hats, suits and nice shoes helped. I think all the suits I wore were vintage and all hired, rather than made.
By film journalist Jan Gilbert
