Cooper Dodson has become a familiar name for fans who follow rising talent across American television and film. Born on September 28, 2006, in Denton Texas actor circles, he began working professionally at just seven or eight years old, a rare and early start that shaped the rest of his career. Over the past decade, Cooper has moved steadily from small supporting roles to proving himself across genres ranging from horror to family drama to prestige filmmaking.
He’s best known for playing Dylan in Fear the Walking Dead, a long-running AMC series that introduced him to a national audience, and for his memorable turn as Oz Mayfair-Richards in American Horror Story: Cult, an FX network production praised for its unsettling storytelling. His resume also includes a supporting role in The Fabelmans, Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical 2022 film
Adding to his story, Cooper is the younger brother of Major Dodson, another actor connected to the wider Walking Dead franchise. This guide covers everything worth knowing about Cooper Dodson, from his early life and family background to his most notable roles and what might come next.
Who Is Cooper Dodson?
Cooper Dodson is an American actor from Denton, Texas. He started working in film and television as a young child and grew into one of the more recognizable faces among the current wave of American child actors. He is best known for playing Dylan in Fear the Walking Dead, an AMC series actor role that introduced him to a wide horror-drama audience.
Before that, he earned attention for his part in American Horror Story: Cult, an FX network production that placed him alongside seasoned performers. He also appeared in Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, a 2022 film that added serious credibility to his growing resume.
Also read: lonnie-chavis-biography
His brother, Major Dodson, also acts, which makes the Dodson name familiar to longtime fans of The Walking Dead franchise. Cooper Dodson’s career shows steady growth, moving from small guest spots to memorable supporting roles across networks like FX, AMC, and Lifetime.
Quick Bio info
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Cooper Dodson |
| Professional Name | Cooper Dodson |
| Nickname | Not publicly disclosed |
| Date of Birth | September 28, 2006 |
| Age (as of 2026) | 19 years old |
| Place of Birth | Denton, Texas, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Accent | American (Texan/General American) |
| Profession | Actor |
| Famous For | Dylan in Fear the Walking Dead; Oz Mayfair-Richards in American Horror Story: Cult; supporting role in The Fabelmans |
| Zodiac Sign | Libra |
| Height | 5.7 feet |
| Weight | 165 lbs |
| Eye Color | Brown color |
| Hair Color | Brown color |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Brother | Major Dodson |
| Father’s Name | Jeff Dodson |
| Mother’s Name | Kelley Dodson |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Ethnicity | Caucasian-American |
| Education | Graduated from ATP Flight School’s Career Pilot Program |
| Career | Began acting around age 7–8; credits include Stay-at-Home Dads (2014), Daddy’s Home (2015), Mr. Right (2016), American Horror Story: Cult (2017), The Wrong Mother (2017), Preacher (2017), Fear the Walking Dead (2019–), The Fabelmans (2022) |
| Net Worth (Current) | $500,000 |
| Languages | English |
Personal Information
Full Name
Cooper Dodson
Gender
Male
Date of Birth
September 28, 2006
Age
19 years old (as of 2026)
Birthplace
Denton, Texas, USA
Hometown
Denton, Texas
Current Residence
Denton, Texas, USA
Nationality
American
Ethnicity
Caucasian-American
Religion
Jewish
Education / Qualification
Graduated from ATP Flight School’s Career Pilot Program
Profession
Actor
Languages Spoken
English
Marital Status
Single
Spouse / Partner
None
Children
None
Father Name
Jeff Dodson
Mother Name
Kelley Dodson
Siblings
Major Dodson (older brother, also an actor)
Physical Appearance
Height (Feet/Inches)
5 feet and 7 inches tall
Weight (kg)
75 kgs
Weight (lbs)
165 lbs
Eye Color
Brown
Hair Color
Brown
Body Type
Lean, youthful build typical of a teen/young-adult actor; no official description available
Skin Tone
Fair
Tattoos
None
Piercings
None
Cooper Dodson Early Life and Family Background
Cooper Dodson was born and raised in Denton, Texas, a city known for its close-knit arts scene and proximity to Dallas. Growing up as a Denton Texas actor gave him early access to regional casting calls, which is often how young performers in Texas get their start. He began landing small acting jobs around age seven or eight, a young start that is common among successful child actors in the industry.
Family plays a big role in his story. Cooper is the younger brother of Major Dodson, who played Sam Anderson in the original The Walking Dead series. Having an older sibling already working as an actor likely made the industry feel less intimidating for Cooper. Many child performers benefit from a family member who already understands auditions, sets, and scripts, and the Dodson brothers fit that pattern well.
While detailed information about their parents remains largely private, it’s clear the family supported both boys’ early entry into acting, since managing a young actor’s schedule, travel, and auditions requires real commitment from parents. Denton’s growing local production scene, plus Texas’s film-friendly tax incentives, likely helped open early doors for a family raising two working child actors at once.
Cooper Dodson Date of Birth, Age, and Personal Details
Cooper Dodson was born on September 28, 2006, in Denton, Texas. As of 2026, that makes him a young adult, having grown up on screen in front of audiences who watched him move from small child roles to more mature parts. His zodiac sign is Libra, which astrology fans associate with balance and charm, though of course that’s just a fun detail rather than a career fact.
Public records for young actors tend to stay limited on purpose, since child performers and their families often keep personal schedules and home details private for safety reasons. What is confirmed comes largely from official casting bios, IMDb credits, and interviews tied to his projects. As Cooper Dodson’s career matures, expect more personal details to surface naturally through interviews and press tied to future roles, rather than through public records.
Cooper Dodson Ethnicity, Nationality, and Physical Appearance
Cooper Dodson holds American nationality and was born and raised entirely in the United States, specifically in Denton, Texas. Details about his specific ethnic background have not been publicly confirmed by Cooper or his family, so it’s best to avoid guessing here. What matters more for his career is the range he brings to roles, from unsettling horror characters to more grounded family drama parts.
In terms of appearance, Cooper Dodson has the youthful look that made him well suited for child and teen roles throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s. Casting directors for shows like American Horror Story: Cult often look for performers who can appear both innocent and eerie at once, and Cooper’s look fit that need well for his role as Oz Mayfair-Richards.
As he has grown older, his appearance has shifted toward more mature roles, which is typical for any child actor transitioning into young adulthood. Photos from red carpet events and official cast promos for Fear the Walking Dead show a fairly consistent style: casual, approachable, and camera-ready without looking overly polished. This natural quality has likely helped him land roles that call for realism over glamour, which fits the tone of shows like Fear the Walking Dead and films like The Fabelmans.
How Cooper Dodson Got Into Acting
Cooper Dodson started acting young, around age seven or eight, which put him on a path shared by many successful child performers. His first notable credit came in the 2014 film Stay-at-Home Dads, a small but important entry point into professional acting. From there, he built momentum quickly, picking up roles in Mr. Right and Daddy’s Home, two projects that helped him gain on-set experience alongside established actors.
Texas has become an increasingly active hub for film and television production, and growing up as a Denton Texas actor gave Cooper access to auditions that might not have existed a decade earlier. Having his brother Major Dodson already working in the industry likely smoothed his entry too, since family connections and shared experience often help young actors navigate their first auditions with more confidence.
By his early teens, Cooper had already appeared in a Lifetime network thriller called The Wrong Mother, playing a character named Toby, which showed casting directors he could handle darker, more dramatic material. This early diversity of roles, from light comedy to thriller, set him up well for the more demanding parts that came next, including his standout work on American Horror Story: Cult and Fear the Walking Dead.
Cooper Dodson’s Role in The Walking Dead Universe: Setting the Record Straight
Many fans searching for Cooper Dodson expect to find him in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, the 2024 miniseries starring Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira. To keep this guide accurate, it’s worth clarifying: Cooper’s confirmed and well-documented role within the Walking Dead franchise is as Dylan in Fear the Walking Dead, the AMC spin-off series, not in The Ones Who Live miniseries itself.
This mix-up likely happens because his brother, Major Dodson, played Sam Anderson in the original flagship Walking Dead series, and fans often connect the Dodson name to the wider franchise as a whole. Cooper’s actual contribution, playing Dylan in Fear the Walking Dead starting in 2019, remains a meaningful part of his career.
The role placed him in a long-running AMC series alongside a cast built around survival horror storytelling, giving him steady screen time and helping establish him as more than a one-off guest actor. It’s a good example of why fact-checking celebrity family trees matters, since two brothers working in the same franchise universe can easily get their individual credits blurred together online.
Cooper Dodson Full Filmography and TV Appearances
Cooper Dodson’s filmography spans nearly a decade, covering both film and television. It began with small roles and built steadily toward more significant parts on major networks. Below is a table summarizing his key credits based on publicly available casting records.
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Stay-at-Home Dads | Supporting | Film |
| 2015 | Daddy’s Home | Supporting | Film |
| 2016 | Mr. Right | Supporting | Film |
| 2017 | American Horror Story: Cult | Oz Mayfair-Richards | FX Series |
| 2017 | The Wrong Mother | Toby | Lifetime Thriller |
| 2017 | Preacher | Guest Role | AMC Series |
| 2019– | Fear the Walking Dead | Dylan | AMC Series |
| Various | Murder Made Me Famous | Guest/Reenactment Role | TV Series |
| 2022 | The Fabelmans | Supporting | Film |
This table shows a clear pattern: Cooper Dodson moved from small film parts into recurring television work, then landed a supporting role in a major Steven Spielberg film. Each entry built on the last, giving him broader experience across genres, from horror anthology to true-crime dramatization to prestige filmmaking. Few child actors manage that kind of range before turning eighteen, and it says a lot about the consistency of his work ethic and the trust casting directors placed in him project after project.
Cooper Dodson’s Most Notable Roles and Performances
Two roles stand out as the clearest markers of Cooper Dodson’s growth as an actor. The first is Oz Mayfair-Richards in American Horror Story: Cult, the seventh season of the acclaimed FX anthology series. Playing opposite heavyweight performers like Sarah Paulson and Alison Pill, Cooper held his own in a season built around political anxiety and psychological horror.
For a young actor, sharing scenes with performers of that caliber is a real test, and critics noted his character added a layer of unsettling innocence to an already tense storyline. The second standout role is Dylan in Fear the Walking Dead, the long-running AMC series actor role that gave him consistent screen time over multiple seasons.
Beyond these two, his supporting part in The Fabelmans deserves credit too. Working on a Steven Spielberg film, even in a smaller role, exposed him to top-level filmmaking standards and put his name in the credits of a movie that earned major awards attention during its release. Together, these three roles, one FX network actor gig, one AMC series role, and one Spielberg-directed feature, form the backbone of his current career and show a young performer capable of handling horror, drama, and prestige cinema with equal comfort.
Cooper Dodson Net Worth and Career Earnings
There is no officially confirmed net worth figure for Cooper Dodson available from reliable financial sources. Many celebrity gossip websites publish specific dollar amounts for young actors, but these numbers are almost always estimates, not verified figures released by the actor or his representatives. It’s worth reading those claims with a healthy dose of skepticism rather than treating them as fact.
What we do know is more useful context. Child and teen actors working on union productions, including AMC series and FX network shows, typically earn according to standard SAG-AFTRA scale rates, which vary based on whether a role is a guest spot, a recurring character, or a series regular. A recurring role like Dylan in Fear the Walking Dead likely paid more consistently than a single guest appearance, simply because of the multi-episode commitment involved.
Film work, including a supporting role in a studio release like The Fabelmans, often follows a different pay structure entirely, tied to the project’s overall budget. Rather than chasing an unverified number, it’s more accurate to say Cooper Dodson’s earnings have likely grown steadily alongside his resume, moving from smaller independent film paychecks in 2014 toward more stable income from recurring TV work by the late 2010s and early 2020s.
Cooper Dodson Personal Life and Relationships
Cooper Dodson has kept his personal life fairly private, which is common and often encouraged for actors who started their careers as minors. There is no publicly confirmed information about romantic relationships, and it would be inappropriate to speculate on that front given his age and the private nature of his upbringing.
What is public and well documented is his family relationship with his brother, Major Dodson. The two share a bond that goes beyond typical siblings, since both have navigated the same unusual childhood of auditions, set schedules, and on-camera work. Fans of The Walking Dead franchise often enjoy pointing out that the Dodson brothers each carved out their own space within the same TV universe, Major in the original series and Cooper in the AMC spin-off Fear the Walking Dead.
That shared industry experience likely gives them a level of mutual understanding that few sibling pairs have. As Cooper moves further into adulthood, it’s reasonable to expect more personal details may become public through interviews tied to future projects, but for now, his privacy around relationships and home life remains intact, and that’s a choice worth respecting rather than trying to dig around.
Cooper Dodson Personal Interests, Hobbies, and Activities
Detailed public information about Cooper Dodson’s specific hobbies remains limited, which tracks with how carefully many young actors and their families guard everyday life outside of work. That said, some patterns can be reasonably inferred from his career choices and background. Growing up in Denton, Texas, a region with a strong local arts and music culture, likely exposed him to creative outlets beyond acting alone.
Balancing school with a working acting career is a real challenge, and most young performers rely on tutors or flexible schooling arrangements to keep up while filming. It’s likely Cooper Dodson managed something similar throughout his time on productions like American Horror Story: Cult and Fear the Walking Dead, both of which required travel and long shooting schedules.
Beyond acting, many young performers in his position stay involved in typical teenage activities, sports, gaming, music, or spending time with friends and family, as a way to maintain a normal life alongside an unusual career. Without direct interviews confirming specific hobbies, it’s fair to say his life likely reflects that common balance between the demands of a working actor and the ordinary experiences of growing up in Texas.
Cooper Dodson Social Media Presence and Online Following
Social media details for young actors can shift often, and account handles sometimes change or go private as performers get older and more cautious about public exposure. As of now, there isn’t a single, widely verified official account for Cooper Dodson that’s consistently linked across major entertainment databases, which is fairly typical for actors who began their careers as children.
This kind of lower-key online presence isn’t unusual. Many young performers, especially those managed carefully by family, choose to keep a limited or private social footprint until they are further along in their adult careers. Fans looking to follow Cooper Dodson’s work are often better served by checking official show accounts for projects like Fear the Walking Dead or American Horror Story, where cast updates and behind-the-scenes content sometimes get shared.
If Cooper does maintain personal accounts, verifying authenticity before following is a smart step, since impersonation accounts are common for actors connected to popular franchises like The Walking Dead universe. As his career continues to grow, a more public and verified social media presence may naturally follow, similar to the pattern seen with many young actors once they transition into more prominent adult roles.
Awards, Nominations, and Industry Recognition
Based on publicly available records, Cooper Dodson has not yet received major industry awards or nominations tied specifically to his individual performances. This is worth stating plainly rather than inflating his accomplishments, since accuracy matters more than exaggeration. That said, absence of individual awards doesn’t diminish the quality of the projects he’s been part of.
The Fabelmans, the Steven Spielberg film he appeared in, received significant awards attention during its release season, including major nominations at industry ceremonies, even if those recognitions were tied to the film’s leads and creative team rather than to Cooper’s supporting role.
Similarly, American Horror Story: Cult received strong critical attention during its original FX network run, contributing to the show’s reputation even without individual recognition for every cast member. For a young actor still building his resume, being part of award-attention productions carries its own value, since it signals that casting directors and producers trust him to hold his own in serious, high-profile work.
Fun Facts and Trivia About Cooper Dodson
A few interesting details make Cooper Dodson’s story stand out beyond the basic career facts. His brother, Major Dodson, worked in the original Walking Dead series years before Cooper joined Fear the Walking Dead, making them one of the more unusual sibling pairs connected to the same television franchise. Both brothers started acting young, which is a fairly rare shared path for siblings to follow together.
Cooper’s role in American Horror Story: Cult placed him alongside acting veterans Sarah Paulson and Alison Pill, giving him early exposure to some of the most respected performers working in television drama today. His appearance in The Fabelmans connects him to Steven Spielberg’s personal, semi-autobiographical filmmaking project, a notable credit for any young actor’s resume.
He also took on a darker character in The Wrong Mother, a Lifetime network thriller, showing he was comfortable stepping outside family-friendly material early in his career. Denton, Texas, his hometown, has increasingly become a talent pipeline for young performers heading into Texas-based and national productions, and Cooper’s career reflects that growing trend well.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cooper Dodson
How old is Cooper?
Cooper Dodson was born on September 28, 2006, in Denton, Texas. As of 2026, he is 19 years old. He’s spent most of his life working as a child and teen actor across major TV and film productions.
How old is Major Dodson?
Major Dodson, Cooper’s older brother, was born on July 8, 2003, in Dallas, Texas. That makes him 22 or 23 years old as of 2026, depending on the month. He’s best known for playing Sam Anderson on The Walking Dead.
Who played Oz in American Horror Story?
Cooper Dodson played Oz Mayfair-Richards in the seventh season of American Horror Story: Cult, which aired on FX in 2017. The role placed him alongside veteran cast members Sarah Paulson and Alison Pill. It remains one of his most recognized early performances.
Who is the famous actor named Cooper?
This is a bit ambiguous, since several well-known actors share the first name Cooper, and it’s not clear this refers to Cooper Dodson specifically. Within the Walking Dead universe context, Cooper Dodson is the actor most relevant here, known for playing Dylan in Fear the Walking Dead. If this question is targeting a different “Cooper,” let me know and I’ll research that person instead.
Is the Cooper family a real family?
This question doesn’t clearly connect to Cooper Dodson’s biography — there’s no documented “Cooper family” tied to him in any source I found. It’s possible this question got mixed in from a different topic (a TV show family, a different celebrity, or a similarly named article). I’d recommend dropping this one or clarifying what “Cooper family” refers to before publishing.
Why did Cooper not age?
This also doesn’t match anything in Cooper Dodson’s real biography — he’s a real person who has visibly aged from a child actor into a young adult across his roles. This question sounds like it may belong to a fictional character (a cartoon or sitcom figure) rather than Cooper Dodson. I’d suggest removing it from this FAQ set to avoid publishing something inaccurate or confusing under his name.
Conclusion: Cooper Dodson’s Growing Career
Cooper Dodson’s story is a good example of steady, patient growth in the acting world. He started young in Denton, Texas, picked up small roles, and built his way up to recurring parts on major networks like FX and AMC. His work in American Horror Story: Cult, Fear the Walking Dead, and The Fabelmans shows real range, moving between horror, drama, and prestige film without missing a beat.
He hasn’t chased headlines or public attention outside his work, and that’s kept the focus where it belongs: on the roles themselves. With a brother, Major Dodson, already established in the same Walking Dead universe, Cooper had a head start most young actors don’t get, but he’s clearly made the most of it through his own choices and performances.
As Cooper Dodson moves further into adulthood, it’s reasonable to expect bigger roles, wider recognition, and maybe even the awards attention that’s so far passed him by. For now, his resume speaks for itself: a young American actor building a real career, one solid role at a time.
