“To be honest, I kind of hate shopping,” Cooper Koch tells Vanity Fair. “It’s not my favorite thing to do.” You’d never know it looking at the ensemble he put together for the 2025 Golden Globes, where he was nominated for best performance by an actor in a limited series, anthology, or made-for-television movie for his performance as Erik Menendez, the younger Menendez brother, in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. With the help of stylist Jamie Mizrahi, Koch looked suave as ever while attending the 82nd Golden Globes ceremony held on Sunday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Although Sunday marked the first major acting nomination of Koch’s career, it wasn’t the 28-year old’s first time at a major awards show. In 2013, he attended the Oscars as a teen when his grandfather, film producer Hawk Koch, then president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, delivered a speech at the ceremony. He also attended last year’s Creative Arts Emmys to support his twin brother, Payton Koch, who was nominated for editing Only Murders in the Building. But at Sunday’s Globes, it was Cooper’s turn in the spotlight, as he was nominated alongside A-listers like Colin Farrell, Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor, and rising stars like Andrew Scott and Richard Gadd. “[It’s my] first time going as a nominee, which is insane,” he said.
For his big night, he wanted to go for a timeless look. “I’m wearing a very classic tuxedo from Armani,” he said. Koch, who sat front row at the Armani show at New York’s Park Avenue Armory in October, completed the outfit with a white shirt, black cummerbund, and bow tie also provided by the Italian fashion house. “Nothing too crazy and out of the box,” said Koch. “It’s just very classy and simple and nice.”
“I’m being a little bit of an Armani boy,” he added, cheekily. “This is the best type of boy to be.”
In his downtime, Koch’s personal style is way more laid-back—fitting given his Southern California upbringing. “Sweatpants, Birkenstocks, hoodie, beanie or hat,” he said. “I wear the same thing every day.” That’s not to say Koch doesn’t like getting dolled up for a big event. “I love getting dressed up. I love wearing cool stuff and fancy clothes and suits. I always have a good time,” he said.
He also is not above copping a cool outfit, which he was lucky enough to do after Monsters wrapped. “The costume designer gave me some stuff. I got the Cavaricci pants that Erik wears in episode two in the shopping spree. And I got a belt, another cool jacket, and a couple pairs of jeans.”
To prepare for Hollywood’s biggest party, Koch practiced self-care over the holidays—abstaining from alcohol and going off the grid. “I put my phone away for three days and then had nice holiday downtime,” he said. Rather than hit the town on New Year’s Eve, Koch opted to stay in and play games with his partner, Stuart McClave, and their families. The night before the Globes, he said he planned to check into the nearby Sunset Tower Hotel, get a lymphatic drainage facial, and have “a nice romantic, celebratory dinner,” with McClave, who accompanied him to the ceremony also wearing Armani.
Come Sunday, his hair and makeup artist Miho Suzuki, who also worked on Monsters, was set to drop by his hotel room to deliver finishing touches. “My brothers are going to come and my parents, and we’ll all just hang out in the hotel while I get ready,” said Koch. “We’ll probably play music, and I’ll calm my nerves.”
Heading into the big night, Koch had a lot to be excited about. “I’m ready to devour all of the food,” he said. “The cameras won’t even be able to catch me because my head will be down just eating while everybody’s getting their Golden Globes.” Well, the food and potentially meeting presenter and Golden Globe winner Jennifer Coolidge—“I really want to meet her,” he said. He was also excited to reunite with his Monsters costars, like nominee Javier Bardem, as well as Chloë Sevigny, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, and Ari Graynor, in particular. “We talk every day,” Koch said of Graynor, who portrayed Erik and Lyle’s lawyer, Leslie Abramson, on the series. “We are planning to show up at the same time, so we can be in line together and do the carpet together.”
Although he didn’t end up winning the Globe—the trophy went to Farrell—Koch felt like a winner before the envelope was opened. “I truly, truly feel like I have won already,” said Koch. “I feel like I won when I got this job. I won doing the job. I won getting to watch the show after I finished it. I won getting to meet the brothers. This role and this experience has changed my life in so many ways.”
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