Staying Together: Oscar Winner Chris Cooper & Marianne Leone Cooper, Actor/Writer Talks Highs Of Hollywood, Trading Off In Tough Times And Being A Team

Today's topic is staying together. Every love story is profoundly different and unique. And for those who don't find everlasting love, we head to the movies to be reminded that it is possible and does exist. Movies teach humanity and make us feel less alone. They lift us up and instill hope. And sometimes we need movies so we can momentarily forget our lives and have a good cry or laugh so hard we forget why we were crying in the first place! If you are a great actor – their words and story are believable, and it can be life-changing. And if that character prevails through extreme hardship, their impact can be even greater. Today's guest is Oscar-winning actor Chris Cooper and his wife Marianne Leone Cooper, who's also an actress and writer, and their love story is beyond beautiful! They've lived through the most difficult of times–enduring the loss of their only son Jesse. Yet somehow, they learned to continue on–put their gifts and pain into purpose, leading Chris to win an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award and Marianne to write the best-selling memoir "Knowing Jesse, A Mother's Story of Grief, Grace and Everyday Bliss," which honors their precious child. Surviving and thriving through all these experiences wouldn't be possible without their love for each other. I've watched Chris's Academy Award acceptance speech many times to remind myself that true love is real and doesn't only exist in the movies.

Chris Cooper is an actor known for his Oscar-winning performance in Adaptation and roles in American Beauty, The Bourne Identity, Seabiscuit, Capote, A Time to Kill, and Breech, to name a few. His wife, Marianne Leone Cooper, is a writer and screenwriter. She's known for her published memoirs and essays. She's also an actress most recognized for playing the role of Christopher Moltisanti's mother on the Sopranos. I admire them so much and the love they share. Today they share their powerful story and what it takes to Stay Together! 

Kerry Brett, Chris Cooper, and Marianne Leone Cooper cover a lot of ground. Topics include;
Having different personalities is a strength and can help balance difficult times.
What being a team looks like within a relationship?
Find someone who makes you laugh so hard that you lose it! Having fabulous humor is key and awfully important in staying together.
The importance of leading your partner when the other is lost.
Why being a team was survival during challenges.
When experiencing loss, don't expect your partner to grieve the same way. You can't expect others to feel how you feel at all times. Practice patience, not resentment, and have empathy.
Mutual respect and kindness are crucial, don't be kinder to your friends than the love of your life. And don't forget to say thank you – it goes a long way.