Why Cooper From Sex/Life Looks So Familiar

"Sex/Life," the tantalizing new Netflix series that has got everyone buzzing, explores what happens when a woman's desires don't quite mesh with the life she's created for herself.  The show follows Billie (Sarah Shahi), a suburban wife and mother who can't stop thinking about her wild past and former lover, Brad (Adam Demos). When her husband, Cooper (Mike Vogel) discovers her diary documenting these steamy memories, Billie begins to wonder if her exciting past and stable present can merge.

If you've been craving your own wild nights and steamy encounters in this pandemic time, "Sex/Life" is the perfect vicarious watch. The chemistry among the lead actors brings the show to life, making the tried-and-true love triangle story line engaging and fun. In particular, many viewers are loving the performance of Mike Vogel, playing Billie's straight-laced, investment banker husband. The actor shines as the dutiful husband trying to keep up with his wife's desires. 

Vogel's handsome face is certainly memorable — but also familiar. Where have we seen the actor before?

Mike Vogel has been acting since the early 2000s, and has built up quite the resume. One of his first major roles was the 2003 remake of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," one of the most talked about horror flicks of its era. In the film, Vogel plays Andy, one of the young adults who — spoiler alert, though you probably see this coming — is brutally tortured by the horrifying serial killer, Leatherface. Jessica Biel also stars as Erin, the only one of the unfortunate gang to escape Leatherface's horrible games, in one of her first major roles post "7th Heaven." 

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" was not well-received by critics, with a dismal 37% critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.  However, the slasher flick fared well at the box office, grossing over $107 million worldwide, per Box Office Mojo. 

Vogel's performance certainly made an impression too — "Texas Chainsaw" was only his second major film role, but was the start of a successful and long career. 

Mike Vogel's biggest film role to date came in 2011 when he starred in the critically-acclaimed "The Help." Vogel played Johnny Foote, who shows notable kindness to his new housekeeper, Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer). Vogel stars opposite the incredible Jessica Chastain, who plays his wife, Cecilia. "The Help" was renowned for its remarkable cast, also including Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Cecily Davis, Alison Janney, and Octavia Spencer, who would win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role. Vogel, along with his co-stars, earned a Screen Actors Guild Award for the film for Outstanding Performance by a Cast for his work on the film (per IMDb). 

"The Help," of course, was a critical darling, racking up countless other awards nominations, including one for Best Picture at the 2012 Academy Awards and Golden Globe. Being in such a highly accoladed film certainly must have been a career highlight for Vogel, but in the ten years since the film's release, he's continued to do some impressive work. 

In 2013, Mike Vogel had a recurring role as Deputy Zack Shelby in the first season of hit horror series "Bates Motel." The main antagonist of the first half of the season, Shelby quickly becomes enamored with the beautiful and resilient Norma Bates. However, (spoilers ahead!) he soon meets his tragic fate at the hands of Norma's son, Dylan. 

Vogel had warm regards for his time on the show, even though it was briefer than he may have liked. Speaking to Channel Guide, the actor shared, "I didn't know exactly what his fate was going to be, but I knew I only signed on for [a certain number of] episodes." He continued, "I knew what I was getting into. Certainly as it went on, I'm reading each script, and the crew is fantastic, the cast is fantastic, part of me is going, 'Well, you know, maybe Deputy Shelby's got a twin brother. Maybe there's another way.'"

Though his time on "Bates Motel" would conclude with Shelby's death, Vogel had nothing but praise the team behind the hit A&E drama, saying, "I was just tickled to have the opportunity to work with such great actors."

Mike Vogel would continue his work with the supernatural in CBS drama "Under the Dome," based on Stephen King's 2009 novel of the same name. The series explores what happens when a massive, invisible dome envelopes a small town and cuts them off from the rest of the world. Vogel stars as Dale "Barbie" Barbara, an Iraq War veteran visiting the town who becomes trapped along with its residents. 

"Under the Dome" was a significant success for CBS–when it premiered in 2013, it was  the most-watched summer drama opener on any network since 1992, according to Nielson (via USA Today). Though the show only ran for three seasons, it developed its own cult following, and is still enjoyed by audiences who can stream it on CBS All Access.

"Under the Dome" was also Vogel's first time successfully headlining a series, and fans loved his work: he even earned two Teen Choice nominations for his performance.

In 2020, Mike Vogel made his return to horror in supernatural film "Fantasy Island," which serves as a horror reimagining and a prequel to the 1977 television series of the same name. Blumhouse Productions' "Fantasy Island" is a riveting, eerie tale about a secluded tropical resort where fantasies come true — but at a steep and often horrifying price. As one might expect, the reality of these fantasies isn't quite what the island's guests are hoping for. 

Vogel stars as Lieutenant Sullivan, the mysteriously alive father of Patrick (Austin Stowell). The exciting film also stars Michael Peña, Lucy Hale, Jimmy O. Yang, and Michael Rooker. Though it was panned by critics, holding just a score of 22 on Metacritic, it was a financial success, grossing $48 million worldwide against a $7 million budget, as reported by Box Office Mojo.

Vogel has had a long and successful career since his debut in the early 2000s.  We have loved seeing the diverse and exciting roles the talented actor has taken on. We can't wait to see what he does next–and let's hope that includes a second season of Sex/Life.