Michael Cooper Jr. Is Redefining Fame With Flip Phones, FaceTime, and Zero Filters
Netflix’s Forever breakout star is living off the grid in Dallas — and still delivering one of the most emotionally honest performances of the year.
July 5 EST: In an industry addicted to hot takes, TikToks, and ten-minute fame cycles, Michael Cooper Jr. is a refreshing glitch in the matrix. At 23, he’s the breakout heart of Netflix’s Forever — and instead of playing the game, he’s rewriting the rulebook.
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Forget LA. Forget the algorithm. This guy’s living in Dallas, using a flip phone, and intentionally staying off social media — not for a headline, but for headspace.
Fame, But Make It Quiet
While most rising stars are fumbling for blue checks and FYP features, Cooper Jr. is keeping things radically analog. As per PEOPLE, the actor is still calling Dallas home and has traded in his smartphone for something out of a 2006 Best Buy clearance bin.
Why? Simple. He doesn’t want the noise.
“I want work and personal life separate,” he said — and honestly, it shows. There’s no curated grid, no Stories from set. Just a guy protecting his mental clarity like it’s the last pack of gum on a 14-hour shoot day.
And let’s be real: in a culture where fame often eats its young, that’s a flex.
A Role That Hit Different
Cooper Jr. moved to Atlanta post-high school to chase the dream, and landed the role of Justin Edwards — a layered, emotionally wounded teen whose storyline in Forever hits hard and lingers longer than most Netflix dramas dare.
This wasn’t just a gig. It was therapy in high def.
“He was able to help me heal things and be vulnerable in my life,” Cooper Jr. told PEOPLE. “Vulnerability is strength.”
Actors say this stuff all the time, sure. But watch the performance — it doesn’t feel rehearsed. There’s a lived-in depth that comes from someone actually doing the emotional labor.
Long Calls With Karen Pittman, Not Casting Agents
It also helps that his on-screen mom is Karen Pittman — and their off-screen bond might be even deeper. According to PEOPLE, the two spend hours on FaceTime after shoots, talking character arcs, trauma triggers, and the messy beauty of mother-son dynamics.
We’re talking three-hour calls, not promo check-ins. It’s actor-to-actor, soul-to-soul — and it’s why their scenes in Forever don’t just land. They level you.
Season 2? He’s In. But on His Terms.
Forever Season 2 is reportedly in development, and Cooper Jr. is expected to return. But don’t expect him to suddenly start tweeting cryptic script emojis or drop thirst traps from set. That’s just not his brand.
In fact, the brand might be: No brand, thanks.
And somehow, that makes him stand out even more. In an industry wired for overexposure, Michael Cooper Jr. is making stillness feel radical. He’s not shying away from fame — he’s just choosing to meet it with boundaries, perspective, and a battery-powered burner.
Honestly? That’s star energy.
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A bi-coastal pop culture critic and former indie screenwriter, Gia covers Hollywood, streaming wars, and subculture shifts with razor wit and Gen Z intuition. If it’s going viral, she already knew about it.
