Cooper Koch
Cooper Joseph Koch is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Erik Menendez in the biographical crime drama series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which earned him nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Koch previously starred in the slasher film They/Them and the body horror film Swallowed, and is set to appear in Luca Guadagnino's upcoming biographical comedy drama film Artificial.
Early life and education
Cooper Joseph Koch was born on July 16, 1996, in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. His father, Billy Koch, is from a Jewish Eastern European background; he is the founder and owner of the horse racing club Little Red Feather and previously worked in the film industry. His mother, Kathy Kaehler, is a celebrity personal trainer. He has a twin brother, Payton Koch, who is a film editor, and a younger brother, Walker, who is a musician. His grandfather is film producer Hawk Koch, and his great-grandfather was film producer and director Howard W. Koch, both of whom served as presidents of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Additionally, his great-granduncle was Charles Pincus, a California dentist known for inventing the dental veneer in 1928. Koch is also related to businessman and Democratic politician Alan Blinken as his great-uncle by marriage.Koch began acting in local theater productions at the age of five. He later attended Calabasas High School, where he performed in various stage adaptations such as West Side Story and A Midsummer Night's Dream. He was also a member of the school's a cappella group and orchestra, where he played the viola, as well as the boys' volleyball varsity team. In May 2018, he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Acting from Pace University.
Career
Koch made his on-screen debut with a background role in the 2007 film Fracture, which was produced by his grandfather, Hawk Koch. In 2010, he appeared in the music video for "Ordinary Girl" by Miley Cyrus. From 2017 to 2021, Koch primarily appeared in short films and stage productions. He had a guest role in the episode "Forty Candles" of the comedy series West 40s, and he was cast in Hulu's series adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's novel Less than Zero, although Koch was fired during production and the pilot was not picked up. He later appeared in A New York Christmas Wedding, playing Azrael Gabison, a guardian angel who shows a woman an alternate version of her life. He also appeared in two episodes of the crime drama series Power Book II: Ghost.In 2022, Koch starred in Carter Smith's body horror film Swallowed, which earned the Grand Jury Prize at the 2022 NewFest. He portrayed Benjamin, an aspiring gay pornographic actor who is forced to smuggle drugs by swallowing them. That same year, he starred in the Blumhouse Productions slasher film They/Them, playing Stu, a closeted gay jock who attends an LGBTQ conversion therapy camp.
Koch first auditioned for the role of convicted murderer Erik Menendez in the NBC limited series Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders and the Lifetime television film Menendez: Blood Brothers. He later earned the part in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the second season of Netflix's true crime anthology series Monster. His performance received critical acclaim, particularly in the fifth episode, "The Hurt Man", a 34-minute one-shot of Erik detailing the sexual abuse he suffered from his father. Critics highlighted his portrayal as one of the season's standout performances, and he received praise from Lyle and Erik Menendez. The role earned him nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film.
In October 2024, Koch signed with United Talent Agency for representation. In November, he appeared in the short film Togetherness, as part of a campaign by fashion house Yves Saint Laurent. In May 2025, he fronted Calvin Klein's summer campaign.
In July 2025, Koch was cast in an undisclosed role in Luca Guadagnino's upcoming biographical film Artificial, based on the brief dismissal of Sam Altman as CEO of OpenAI.
Koch has collaborated with multiple luxury fashion brands including Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein, Tiffany & Co., Armani, Ralph Lauren, Montblanc, Tod's, and Schiaparelli. He was formerly signed with Wilhelmina Models, for whom he modeled for Skechers and Patagonia, and in 2024 he fronted Gap's summer collection alongside Japanese actress Kiko Mizuhara.