Justin Cooper became one of the most recognised child stars in Hollywood during the 90s after his performance in the blockbuster hit film Liar Liar.
Just eight years old when the 1997 movie was released, Justin's breakout performance saw him star as Max Reede, the son of a divorced lawyer (played by Jim Carrey), and a pathological liar who is cursed to tell the truth for a day.
The immense popularity of the film came with some less-than-desirable effects for the actor, who, now 37, has opened up about his experiences as a child celebrity. He recently shared details of his experience in a rare interview with The Not So Little Rascals podcast, with many shocked to see his appearance decades after first appearing on set as a child.
Justin Cooper's experience being a child star
"That’s when I realised it was big after [Liar Liar] came out and, you know, I couldn’t really go anywhere in public," he said. At the time, he said he thought fame was "cool", but that "it probably annoyed my family a little bit more."
© The Not So Little RascalsEach time he and his loved ones went out for a meal, they were met with swarms of gushing fans lining up at their table, desperate to get his autograph. "And you know, my family is trying to eat dinner," he lamented.
He said there were several moments when the level of fame felt "scary", but Justin was grateful to his mother for keeping him sane.
"My mom did a really good job of kind of like shielding me from stuff, you know, like she would tell me later on about prison mail that I would get that she never showed me," he said. He even opened up about a series of concerning letters from "dudes in jail" gushing about "how I'm such a cute kid".
Despite some of the stranger moments of his early stardom, Justin still looks back fondly on that time, saying he feels nothing but gratitude for the movie’s legacy and for how it is still enjoyed by fans today.
© Getty ImagesHe was also lucky enough to work alongside the comedy legend, Jim Carey, who he recalled fondly as incredibly warm and supportive. "It was fun (working with Carrey.) It was a great experience, uh, as far as, you know, being with him and watching him work. And he was goofy all the time," he said
Justin Cooper's career after acting
After his first highly successful Hollywood smash hit, Justin continued to pursue acting into his early teens, appearing in popular television series including Boy Meets World, ER, The Practice, and the 1998 comedy film Dennis the Menace Strikes Again.
He then decided to take a step back from acting to pursue his other passion: sports broadcasting. These days, he works as an executive sports producer and radio personality for Fox Sports Radio, where he hosts dozens of major national shows.
