Who Is Cooper Koch? Rising Star’s Breakout Role—and Why Everyone Is Searching His Name Right Now

The sudden spike in searches for actor Cooper Koch follows a whirlwind 48 hours in which the 28-year-old “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” lead scored his first Emmy nomination, fielded a congratulatory prison phone call from Lyle Menendez, and signed on to Luca Guadagnino’s next feature, “Artificial.” Koch learned of his Outstanding Lead Actor nod early Tuesday morning and admitted he was still “shaking” hours later. “Ari [Ariana DeBose] FaceTimed me in tears. That’s when it hit: this is real,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. Minutes after the call with his co-star, Koch’s phone lit up again—this time with an unlisted number from Mule Creek State Prison. On the other end was Lyle Menendez himself, who thanked the actor for portraying his brother Erik “with empathy” and urged him to “bring home the gold.” CNN Brasil first reported the remarkable exchange. The breakout recognition caps a meteoric rise for Koch, who was largely unknown until the Ryan Murphy-produced limited series premiered in March. Google Trends data show his name hitting its highest search volume year-to-date within an hour of the nomination announcement, outpacing fellow first-time nominees Charles Melton and Rachel Sennott. Industry insiders say the awards buzz is already paying dividends. Deadline confirms Koch has joined Andrew Garfield and Yura Borisov in Guadagnino’s sci-fi satire “Artificial,” now prepping at Amazon MGM Studios. Filming begins in Rome this fall, meaning Koch will dash from the Emmy ceremony straight to set. Fashion labels are also lining up. After fronting Calvin Klein’s Pride capsule in June, the actor has reportedly been fitted for custom Schiaparelli for Emmy night—continuing the high-low style streak GQ called “flawless”. What’s next? Koch says he’s eyeing stage work—“Tennessee Williams would be a dream”—but right now the focus is on finishing the Emmy campaign and perfecting a West Coast accent for “Artificial.” Asked if he feels pressure, he laughs: “If two Menendez brothers, a Gucci god like Luca, and Ryan Murphy can’t scare me, nothing will.” Key search phrases: Cooper Koch Emmy nomination, Lyle Menendez phone call, Monsters Lyle & Erik Menendez Story actor, Cooper Koch Artificial movie, Cooper Koch fashion, Cooper Koch Calvin Klein campaign.