We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rowan Cooper a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Rowan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?
I was always recognized as “the swimmer”. At 10 years old, I stood out as one of the fastest girls in the country, among competitors who in recent years, have produced themselves into Olympic champions and gold medalists in the most recent Olympics.
When I turned 18, I made a significant choice to turn down swimming scholarships, and go a different direction with my life. Swimming had been my lifelong dedication and identity, but I decided to pursue my genuine passion for acting and the world of academics.
Drawing from my elite experience in national swimming championships, where I learned the values of hard work, sacrifice, and determination, I immediately enrolled in acting classes alongside my dual degree studies at university. Balancing a full-time academic load with intense acting training, I quickly honed my skills and began to excel in my craft.
In those early days, my confidence was unwavering, and superficial concerns like appearance and fashion held little importance to me. Having spent all of my life in a competitive swimming environment, I had never focused on cultivating a personal style or being conscious of my body image.
However, amidst my success as an emerging actor, a longstanding health issue from my adolescence resurfaced back into my life.
At the age of 11, I experienced extended menstrual bleeding for nearly two years, leading to medical interventions such as heavy birth control and iron supplements.
The repercussions of early hormone treatments started to manifest physically and mentally, hinting at future challenges to come.
As life accelerated at 18 with a bustling schedule and exciting acting opportunities, I persevered through persistent pain and discomfort, driven by my passion for the craft and the momentum of my career.
As the symptoms continued and worsened, I propelled myself on a quest for answers and relief. Determined by my love for acting and receiving my degrees, I sought medical consultations from various specialists including gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, physicians, and gynecologists. Despite numerous visits, the root cause of my persistent pain remained a mystery to all.
After so much uncertainty, I was finally diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis, shedding light on a condition that is both unknown and under-researched. Unlike other ailments that can be detected through conventional scans or X-rays, endometriosis can only be confirmed through surgical intervention, where the invasive growth of tissue outside the uterus is observed.
Following my surgery, the severity of my condition became starkly apparent as my doctor revealed the extent of the disease’s progression. With dire implications for my future fertility and internal organ health, the diagnosis weighed heavily on me as a now 19-year-old. Realizing that managing this terminal condition would be a lifelong battle, I grappled with the reality that my health was now beyond my control.
Rowan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Through my journey, I discovered the power of knowledge and how it set me apart from others. Initially pursuing a filmmaking degree to understand the craft behind acting, I soon realized my true passion lay in screenwriting. Focusing on screenwriting within my film studies, I even managed to sell one of my screenplays last year. Yet, my quest for versatility led me to explore diverse fields, taking courses from 24 different majors including sociology, pre-law, linguistics, business, mythology, physics, and philosophy, etc.
This exploration ultimately led me to anthropology, particularly cultural anthropology with a focus on world religions. This unexpected turn enriched my understanding of various cultures and human psyche, providing a unique perspective that greatly influences my acting. Drawing from my anthropological knowledge, I approach scripts by pondering how an anthropologist would perceive and connect with the characters, embedding a deeper layer of insight into my performance.
Anthropology has become an integral part of my acting process, shaping me into the individual I am today.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Even though I was put into swimming at a very young age because of my talent, I always knew that I wanted to be an actor. It was just something that was an innate trait of mine, and I begged and begged to be put into acting classes.
The first play that I did was a spinoff of “Tangled.” I played Rapunzel and was overjoyed to have received a leading role my very first time as an actor.
During this time, I had met another young girl in the play named Heather. Heather was an unusual girl – innocent, kind, and beautiful – and she had Down syndrome. I was eight years old at the time and didn’t quite understand what that meant yet. Because I was Rapunzel, she thought I was a real princess and she wanted to become friends.
I went to Heather’s house once a week, and we played together. Her room was like Rapunzel’s tower, decorated with bright flowers, paints, and all sorts of fun arts and crafts that we did. Her mom was happy that she had a friend, yet she was often crying in the kitchen, and I didn’t understand why.
A secret that Heather’s mom had kept was that Heather was dying from leukemia. In the final weeks of the play, she did not come to rehearsal, and she did not ask to have a playdate with me.
The show finally came, and Heather was there. Everyone was excited to see her, especially me. We had a great show, and everyone had a fun time. A couple of weeks later, we went back into rehearsal for the next play, and our teacher informed us that Heather had passed away.
I went to see Heather in her casket. She was so young and deserved so much more. As I looked down at her, I promised from one young girl to another that I would be an actor for both of us because that was her dream.
And ever since then, I feel her presence with me. It’s been 15 years, but that feeling is strong and ever so clear.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
What non-creatives may struggle with and what is deeply misunderstood is the power of having a dream and the sacrifice required to achieve it. Often, the journey is not a straightforward path from point A to point B. There are learning curves and sometimes fatigue from facing constant rejections and dismissals, which I have been dealing with recently. In American culture, It appears that money is equated with success, and there is little regard for creative work that begins without compensation. In the American educational system, creative arts are often undervalued and considered least important in many schools. By the time one reaches senior year, after 11 years of practice, adults have been asking about practical matters like career choices and income goals, rather than nurturing creative aspirations.
Many individuals in business and other pursuits may not be trustworthy; they are primarily self-interested and seek financial gain at any cost, even at the expense of relationships with others. It saddens me that people seem to dream less than they used to, and I find it amusing when others react with skepticism when I express my desire to become an actor. I frequently encounter the question, “How is that going for you?” with a negative tone. This is why it is essential to carefully select role models, have faith in oneself, recognize the immense power within each of us, and understand that through challenges and perseverance, we can achieve our goals. While it may not be the easy path, I believe it is the most fulfilling journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rowaniriscooper.com/
- Instagram: https://www.rowaniriscooper.com/