The Verge: Dominic Cooper

You're also in Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, where you play a very dark character who appears to be advocating for rape as a transformational experience. I know John Krasinski had actors in mind for each role...how did he come to you?

Yeah, I think three years ago I was doing The History Boys on Broadway and he came to see it and spoke to me about the project. He spoke so passionately about it, and he'd done it at school and I was just drawn to the idea of doing dialogue and material of that nature. Although I must say that I sat there thinking, "This will never be made. I don't know how you can turn this into a film." Even while filming, I was like, "How is this ever gonna cut together?" I think he did a fantastic job of it. The interviews are quite compelling, and it was a really fantastic experience. It's had a very mixed response, I think. I don't think people really know what it is.

Again, though, a huge gift to be able to say David Foster Wallace's words. I knew very little about him, I think he's much more popular here than he is in the UK. My character was a horrible guy, although very disturbed and damaged. It's always good when you get roles like that -- like my character in An Education, he comes from a certain class and era that's nothing like mine. It's good to do things that challenge what you find easy.

It's funny, because when I talked to Peter Sarsgaard, he felt the exact opposite...that the characters that were the most different from him were the most difficult to wrap his head around as an actor.

I know what he means -- an accent, for example, is very difficult because you don't want anything to prohibit you or get in the way of the truth you're trying to get across. I think anything that challenges you is good because you might not hit the mark, but at least you've given it a go. That was very difficult for Peter, though, as it was a very different class and style from him, and he had to play an Englishman. I thought he did it brilliantly.

OK, future projects speed round. I keep hearing things about Mamma Mia 2...

I don't! I wish I did! Why don't they call me? [Laughs] Why is that? Where's number-two, and why haven't I been approached for this? I don't know whether they will do that, but I don't see why they wouldn't. It'd be ludicrous not to, wouldn't it? There's such strong-willed women that control the production -- the director and the writer -- so it's ultimately up to them whether there's a story that can be told.

You also have Tamara Drewe coming out. From what I know about it, it sounds like it's got some aspects in common with An Education.

It does, actually! I hadn't really related them at all. It's about a girl dealing with some pretty disastrous men in her life and coming out the other end.

And how disastrous are you?

I'm pretty disastrous! I play this hideous, awful drummer in a band who's so full of himself that it's just disgusting. He can't imagine why no one's heard of his band and why they aren't the most famous thing in the world, and he wears a lot of eyeliner.

Finally, have you been approached to play a role in Thor?

Ummm...yeah. Kind of.

But nothing's finalized?

No, absolutely not. Do you know much about Thor?

I know some.

Tell me: Is there a good part for me?

I know of a few that still need filling.

Which one would you see me as?

Fandral, maybe?

[Looking down at the script sides near him] You know! You're looking at these very confidential pages!

I can read upside down, Dominic.

It says "confidential," Kyle! [Laughs]

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