Liar Liar child star recalls disturbing prison fan mail
Justin Cooper, the 8216liar liar8217 child star who played Jim Carrey's son in the 1997 comedy "Liar, Liar," says he received disturbing fan mail from prisoners at age 8. His mother shielded him from the letters then and only told him about them later.
Key Takeaways
- Cooper said on the "Not So Little Rascals" podcast that he got disturbing prison fan mail at age 8 while starring in "Liar, Liar."
- His mother never showed him the letters; she later told him about inmates who said they were big fans and called him a "cute kid."
- Cooper, now 37, praised his mom for shielding him and never leaving him alone on film or TV sets.
- Sudden fame meant he "couldn't really go anywhere in public," though he "enjoyed it" and "thought it was cool."
- He now works as an executive producer on "The Ben Maller Show" on FOX Sports Radio.
What did Justin Cooper reveal about the prison fan mail?
According to Page Six, Cooper discussed the mail with podcast co-hosts Jordan Warkol and Blake Collins, who starred in 1994's "The Little Rascals."
Asked about "overwhelming" or "scary" moments of childhood fame, he said his mother later told him about "prison mail that I would get that she never showed me."
He described "letters from people in jail" and "dudes in jail talking about how they're such big fans of me and, like, I'm such a cute kid."
Warkol and Collins called the postage "next level" and "wild."
How did his mother protect him during childhood fame?
"My mom did a really good job of kind of, like, shielding me from stuff, you know," Cooper said.
He went on to praise her for never leaving him alone with anyone on film or TV sets.
He contrasted that care with an industry where some parents tell kids to "do whatever they tell you to do."
The account is part of wider celebrity breaking news interest in how child performers are safeguarded.
What else has Cooper shared about life after Liar Liar?
Cooper was 8 when he starred opposite Carrey in Tom Shadyac's 1997 hit. The film also featured Maura Tierney, Cary Elwes and Jennifer Tilly.
He said he "couldn't really go anywhere in public" after the movie's release, but added that he "enjoyed it" and "thought it was cool."
People lined up for autographs at his family's hometown buffet, which he said "probably annoyed" relatives "a little bit more."
Outside "Liar, Liar," he starred in 1998's "Dennis the Menace Strikes Again" and had roles on "The Boys Are Back" and "Brother's Keeper," plus guest spots on "Full House," "ER," "General Hospital" and "Boy Meets World." His most recent acting credit is a 2003 episode of "The Practice." He earned a Young Artist Awards nomination for best performance in a feature film by an actor aged 10 or under for "Liar, Liar."