Cooper, who has appeared at the National Theatre in Nicholas Hytner's productions of Mark Ravenhill's Mother Clapp's Molly House (2001), His Dark Materials (2003-04) and The History Boys (2004, subsequently re-creating his performance as Dakin in Hong Kong, Wellington, Sydney and on Broadway in 2006, as well as in the 2006 film version), will return there to star opposite Helen Mirren and Margaret Tyzack in Hytner's new production of Racine's Phèdre. The production will open at the National's Lyttelton Theatre in June 2009. Cooper will play Hippolytus, whom Phèdre declares her love to; he is the son (from a previous marriage) of Thésée, Phèdre’s absent husband.

Cooper has also appeared onstage as Puck in an RSC production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2002, and on TV in "Down to Earth," "Sense and Sensibility" and "God on Trial," amongst others. On film he has appeared in "The Duchess," "An Education," "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men" and as Sky in the recent film version of "Mamma Mia!"

Booking is not yet open. For more information visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk.