# Cooper Koch
**Cooper Koch** (born 1996 in Los Angeles) is an American actor known for portraying Erik Menendez in the Netflix true-crime series *Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story*, a performance that brought him Emmy and Golden Globe nominations in 2025.[1](https://goldenglobes.com/person/cooper-koch/) • [2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/cooper-koch)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1996, Los Angeles, California[1](https://goldenglobes.com/person/cooper-koch/) |
| Training | Bachelor of fine arts in acting, Pace University, New York City, graduated May 2018[1](https://goldenglobes.com/person/cooper-koch/) |
| Breakout role | Erik Menendez in *Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story* (Netflix, 2024), produced by Ryan Murphy Productions[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/cooper-koch) |
| Emmy nomination | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, 2025, alongside Colin Farrell, Stephen Graham, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Brian Tyree Henry[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/cooper-koch) |
| Golden Globe nomination | Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television, 2025[1](https://goldenglobes.com/person/cooper-koch/) |
| Earlier work | *They/Them* and *Swallowed* (both 2022); *Power Book II: Ghost* (Starz, 2023)[1](https://goldenglobes.com/person/cooper-koch/) • [3](https://www.fandango.com/people/cooper-koch-355012/biography) |
| Family | Twin brother Payton Koch, a TV and film editor; grandfather Hawk Koch and great-grandfather Howard W. Koch were film producers[4](https://www.biography.com/actors/a62368152/cooper-koch) |
## Early life and training
Koch was born in Los Angeles in 1996 and began performing in community theater at age 5, later appearing in high-school musicals such as *West Side Story*.[4](https://www.biography.com/actors/a62368152/cooper-koch) His first onscreen role came in the 2007 legal thriller *Fracture*, starring [Anthony Hopkins](https://www.edgepedia.org/anthony-hopkins) and [Ryan Gosling](https://www.edgepedia.org/ryan-gosling), and he appeared in independent short films as a teenager before studying acting at [Pace University](https://www.edgepedia.org/pace-university), where he completed a bachelor of fine arts in acting in May 2018.[4](https://www.biography.com/actors/a62368152/cooper-koch) • [1](https://goldenglobes.com/person/cooper-koch/)
He comes from a show business family. His father, Billy Koch, worked as a visual effects editor on the 1996 films *Space Jam* and *Jerry Maguire*; his grandfather Hawk Koch produced films including *Wayne's World* (1992) and *Chinatown* (1974); and his great-grandfather Howard W. Koch produced *The Manchurian Candidate* (1962) and *The Odd Couple* (1968) and directed several films.[4](https://www.biography.com/actors/a62368152/cooper-koch) His twin brother Payton works as a TV and film editor.[4](https://www.biography.com/actors/a62368152/cooper-koch)
## Early career
Koch gained early recognition for performances in two 2022 horror films: *[They/Them](https://www.edgepedia.org/they-them-film)*, a slasher set at a conversion therapy camp in which he played Stu, and *Swallowed*, a body-horror drama.[1](https://goldenglobes.com/person/cooper-koch/) • [3](https://www.fandango.com/people/cooper-koch-355012/biography) He has said he is not a horror fan and that the genre roles came from the auditions that stuck rather than a deliberate choice.[5](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a62640074/cooper-koch-interview-monsters-netflix-2024/) On television he played a recurring character in *Power Book II: Ghost* (Starz, 2023).[3](https://www.fandango.com/people/cooper-koch-355012/biography)
Before *Monsters*, he had auditioned unsuccessfully for the same role, Erik Menendez, in two earlier television retellings of the case: NBC's *Law & Order: True Crime* and Lifetime's *Menendez: Blood Brothers*, both released in 2017.[6](https://www.thewrap.com/monsters-cooper-koch-erik-menendez-interview/)
## Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
In 2024 Koch portrayed Erik Menendez in *Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story*, the second season of Ryan Murphy's Netflix anthology about the brothers convicted of killing their parents in 1989.[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/cooper-koch) • [4](https://www.biography.com/actors/a62368152/cooper-koch) His co-star [Nicholas Alexander Chavez](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicholas-chavez) played Lyle Menendez.[7](https://www.papermag.com/cooper-koch-monsters) To prepare, Koch turned his trailer into a recreation of Erik's room, listened to recordings of Erik Menendez's testimony, and studied his vocal tone and responses closely enough that he could answer questions as Erik in his sleep.[4](https://www.biography.com/actors/a62368152/cooper-koch) • [7](https://www.papermag.com/cooper-koch-monsters)
The series made Koch widely known. He was nominated for the 2025 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie and for the 2025 Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television.[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/cooper-koch) • [1](https://goldenglobes.com/person/cooper-koch/) One episode, in which Erik recounts his abuse to defense attorney [Leslie Abramson](https://www.edgepedia.org/leslie-abramson) (played by [Ari Graynor](https://www.edgepedia.org/ari-graynor)) in a single continuous shot, drew particular attention to his performance.[5](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a62640074/cooper-koch-interview-monsters-netflix-2024/)
**Advocacy.** Koch has used his public platform to speak about the Menendez brothers' case. He and [Kim Kardashian](https://www.edgepedia.org/kim-kardashian) visited the brothers in prison in San Diego, and after the brothers' resentencing in 2025, which made them eligible for parole, he spoke with Erik Menendez.[7](https://www.papermag.com/cooper-koch-monsters) • [8](https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/a64838320/cooper-koch-erik-menendez-resentencing-reaction/)
## Public profile and later work
The role changed Koch's circumstances quickly. Two years before the show he was working as a yoga instructor and scooping ice cream; after it aired he was recognized on the street and fronted [Calvin Klein](https://www.edgepedia.org/calvin-klein)'s newest campaign in 2025.[9](https://theplaylist.net/cooper-koch-on-monsters-the-lyle-and-erik-menendez-story-yeah-youve-seen-my-soul-20250819/) • [10](https://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/a64743680/cooper-koch-calvin-klein-interview-2025/) He has no social media presence and has built his public persona mainly through interviews and press.[7](https://www.papermag.com/cooper-koch-monsters)
His upcoming projects include [Luca Guadagnino](https://www.edgepedia.org/luca-guadagnino)'s *Artificial*, a drama about the OpenAI leadership crisis starring [Andrew Garfield](https://www.edgepedia.org/andrew-garfield) as [Sam Altman](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-altman), and *Rot*, a psychological thriller and body horror film produced by Mike Flanagan, in which he stars with Matthew Lillard and Amber Midthunder.[11](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2599408/news/) He has also said he wants to work on Broadway and to help adapt four books he likes for television or film.[4](https://www.biography.com/actors/a62368152/cooper-koch) • [5](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a62640074/cooper-koch-interview-monsters-netflix-2024/)
## References
1. [Cooper Koch, Golden Globes Awards Database](https://goldenglobes.com/person/cooper-koch/)
2. [Cooper Koch, Emmy Awards and Nominations, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/cooper-koch)
3. [Cooper Koch Biography, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/cooper-koch-355012/biography)
4. [6 Surprising Facts About 'Monsters' Star Cooper Koch, Biography.com](https://www.biography.com/actors/a62368152/cooper-koch)
5. [Cooper Koch on 'Monsters' and Meeting Erik Menendez, Harper's Bazaar](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a62640074/cooper-koch-interview-monsters-netflix-2024/)
6. ['Monsters' Star Cooper Koch Became Erik Menendez's Biggest Defender, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/monsters-cooper-koch-erik-menendez-interview/)
7. [Cooper Koch Plays the Long Game, PAPER Magazine](https://www.papermag.com/cooper-koch-monsters)
8. [Cooper Koch Spoke With Erik Menendez After His Resentencing, Town & Country](https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/a64838320/cooper-koch-erik-menendez-resentencing-reaction/)
9. [Cooper Koch On 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story', The Playlist](https://theplaylist.net/cooper-koch-on-monsters-the-lyle-and-erik-menendez-story-yeah-youve-seen-my-soul-20250819/)
10. [Cooper Koch on New Calvin Klein Campaign, Esquire](https://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/a64743680/cooper-koch-calvin-klein-interview-2025/)
11. [Cooper Koch News, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2599408/news/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Kn to La*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license