Conservative star Brett Cooper recalls being pelted with 'Communist Manifesto' at UCLA party

Fox News

01-07-2025

Once a child actor, and now a conservative media star, Brett Cooper has taken the internet by storm with her commentary on a variety of political and cultural issues to millions of followers and subscribers across her social media platforms.
Fox News Digital sat down with Cooper, host of "The Brett Cooper Show," ahead of her live show in Atlanta, Georgia, to discuss her media career and new podcast. Cooper has since signed as a Fox News media contributor.
Cooper attended UCLA and felt like the political climate of the school and the city of Los Angeles didn't represent her.
"I went to UCLA, I just kind of decided that really wasn't the path for me, at least being an actor wasn't, and so I got really interested in production and being on the other side of Hollywood, and that sort of led me down a path of making videos."
When Cooper started making videos, she gained the attention of conservative media.
"I got in contact with some conservative organizations like PragerU," Cooper said. As Cooper was making videos for PragerU, she received attention from the Daily Wire to start a show, and then her career "took off from there."
In January, Cooper launched "The Brett Cooper Show."
"My family was always super vocal and open about politics and values and philosophy," Cooper said. "We were a big debate-over-the-dinner-table family, but I didn't really follow politics, and we didn't discuss news and current events in that way."
While attending UCLA, Cooper found herself having to analyze her political views.
"Going to UCLA, I was confronted with people who were very much involved in that world and cared very deeply," Cooper said. "So it forced me to kind of reconcile with the values that I had been raised with. So I think that was probably a turning point where I just had to be confronted with that and figure out, you know, do I actually believe in the things that I was raised with."
Cooper was initially hesitant about making politics a big part of who she is.
"I definitely didn't make it the forefront of my personality, especially because I knew that so many of my friends were on the left, I never really wanted to cause any problems, but over time they figured out kind of what I believe," she said.
However, the political differences at her school were very evident to Cooper.
"My favorite story is that I was hit in the head with a 'Communist Manifesto' at a party because they were like, 'you should read this,' and they like chucked it at me."
In 2020, Cooper posted a video on Instagram where she spoke out about the COVID lockdowns in Los Angeles.
"I make a video, and I was literally so terrified that I turned off my phone and I like chucked it across the room. Um, because I was just so terrified to publicly, you know, put myself out there in that way."
Now, Cooper hopes that she can help others by providing unique perspectives and starting conversations.
"I'm not asking you to change your mind, but if I help you understand something in a different light or see a different perspective that just makes you think about something in new way, that's great. And if I can foster that in this community with my audience, my comment section, then I think I'm doing something right."
Cooper will provide cultural, social, and political commentary across all Fox News Media platforms.
Cooper launched her podcast "The Brett Cooper Show" in January and has amassed over 9 million followers across her social media platforms. The Gen Z conservative is known for "her grounded perspective, sharp wit and distinctive takes," Fox News Media said when announcing her new role.
In January, Cooper appeared on "Jesse Watters Primetime" to discuss the changing media landscape.
"I watched the media landscape change… and young people are just hungry for independent voices who are authentic and honest with their audiences. They don't want to hear from traditional pundits 24/7," Cooper said.
Cooper is a graduate of UCLA and is based in Tennessee, where she lives with her husband.