Skyler Cooper is an American actor and activist.[1] Cooper is known for playing both male and female roles.[2][3] Cooper stated that after being gender neutral for most of his life, "As I launch my website as a transgender person, I identify as 'He' and with masculine pronouns."[4]
Cooper was mentored by acting coach Phil Bennett. He also went to his Theatre Labs to learn contemporary theater.[5]
An acting coach once told Cooper he would need to stay in the closet for the sake of his career.[6] He switched coaches and subsequently had success performing in queer specific film and theatre. He first performed on stage with the 2000 production of Liquid Fire.[6] Then, in 2003 he starred in the documentary, Butch Mystique. In 2012, he wrote, directed, produced and acted in the short film Hero Mars (2013 release).[7]
Cooper starred in the short film Frederica, as well as Hooters, a documentary about the making of The Owls.[2]Cooper appeared in the “Lesbians Gone Wild” episode of RuPaul’s Drag U in 2011. Cooper was also featured in movies including Cheryl Dunye’s The Owls,[8] Insomniacs and Elena Undone. On stage, Cooper was cast as Othello in the Impact Theatre's Performance of Othello Staged Reading (which purposefully subverted gender and race dynamics by casting a Black queer actor).[9]
In 2018, he played the role of Trish in Lasso.[10]
Hero Mars won the 2014 Best Short Film at the Bronze Lens Film Festival.[11][12][13]
Cooper has a bodybuilding background and is described as muscular. He has done work at Gold's Gym as a personal trainer.[14] He was a fitness coordinator in the military.[5] Cooper is originally from New York. His father is a Baptist minister.[15]