how Netflix’s Forever stars Michael Cooper Jr. & Karen Pittman built an authentic mother-son relationship that thrives off-screen with marathon calls.
OMG, you won’t believe the connection these two have! Michael Cooper Jr. and Karen Pittman might play mom and son on Netflix’s “Forever,” but their relationship has totally jumped off the screen.
They seriously FaceTime for THREE HOURS just chatting about their characters and life stuff. Talk about dedication!
Rookie Meets Veteran
Cooper was such a newbie when filming started! He only jumped into acting in 2020 and felt like a total impostor at his first table read.
“I’ve not been classically trained,” he confessed to the seasoned pros around him.
But Pittman and Wood Harris (who plays his dad) didn’t judge—they actually pulled him aside when he was freaking out and gave him the pep talk he needed.
Late-Night FaceTime Sessions
Their bond didn’t just disappear when filming wrapped last year. Cooper spilled that they still chat like crazy!
“We were on FaceTime for three hours the other night just talking about Justin and Dawn,” he revealed.
Can you imagine having someone from work you click with that much? They’re basically besties at this point!
Life Imitating Art
The magic of their on-screen chemistry? It’s actually super personal! Pittman has a son around Cooper’s age, and Cooper says his own mom is totally a “Dawn character.”
They mixed their real-life experiences to create something authentic.
“We shared our stories and took bits and pieces from our lives,” Cooper explained. No wonder it feels so real when you watch them!
Cringe-Watching Together
Don’t you hate watching yourself on screen? Cooper does too! When he finally saw the episodes, he immediately called Pittman like, “I just want to smack [Justin] sometimes, and give him a hug at the same time!”
He was literally yelling at his character: “Bro, what are you doing? Please don’t say that!” We’ve all been there with our past selves!
Two Moms Are Better Than One
The sweetest part? On Mother’s Day, Cooper posted the cutest tribute to BOTH his real mom AND Pittman!
He shared a pic of them together on set with the caption “Double trouble” and called them “genius women I’m lucky enough to call mom.”
If that doesn’t make your heart melt, what will?
Check out “Forever” on Netflix now to see this incredible mother-son duo in action!