Michael Cooper Jr. is getting real about love and how his role on Forever ended up helping him process his own.
In a moment from his appearance on Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, the Forever star opened up about how stepping into the shoes of Justin, his emotionally layered character on the Netflix series, wasn’t just about acting, it was about healing.
“I have been in love,” he told Keke, before diving into how deeply the role affected him. “Playing Justin… it kind of healed me, in a sense. Being able to be vulnerable, it healed me from past relationships that I got to pull from and use.”
That vulnerability wasn’t always easy. Cooper Jr. shared that there were moments on set when he questioned just how emotional Justin needed to be.
“I would even talk to Mara [Brock Akil] and Anthony on set and be like, ‘Does he really have to cry in this scene?’ And Mara would be like, ‘Yeah, he needs to cry a little bit.’”
It was that emotional honesty, though, that allowed him to tap into something real, not just as an actor, but as a man. By confronting Justin’s feelings, Cooper Jr. found himself unpacking his own emotional baggage. And in the process, he discovered a new kind of freedom.
Created by Mara Brock Akil, Forever has been praised for its raw, relatable take on Black love, healing, and growth. Cooper Jr. plays Justin, a young man navigating the complexity of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery, all of which hit close to home for the actor himself.
“Mara knows her story so well and it’s so specific,” Cooper Jr. added. “I think anybody watching the show can connect—whether you’re a Keisha or a Justin, or a little bit of everybody.”
Love may hurt, but for Michael Cooper Jr., playing Justin turned out to be part of the cure.
Photo Credit; Netflix
