Actor Emrhys Cooper has secured a Hollywood role following his exit from Weatherfield.
The former Coronation Street star looks worlds apart from his Weatherfield character a year after leaving the ITV soap. As Corrie fans will remember, Rowan Cunliffe — played by Emrhys — arrived on the cobbles at the start of 2024 as the charismatic cult leader of The Institute.
He first crossed paths with Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) at a hotel, presenting himself as the head of a self-help group. Using charm and manipulation, Rowan gradually drew Leanne into the organisation.
After months of grooming and brainwashing, Leanne persuaded Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney) to get involved and convinced her to invest her inheritance into a new resource centre — much to Rowan’s delight.
Leanne’s situation took a dramatic turn when she uncovered crucial files on Rowan’s computer. The documents not only confirmed that Toyah (Georgia Taylor) and Nick (Ben Price) were having an affair, but also revealed that Rowan had been blackmailing the secret lovers.
Determined to get rid of Rowan, Nick later handed a notebook to DS Swain (Vicky Myers) containing enough evidence to expose Rowan’s criminal dealings and secure his arrest. In December 2024, Rowan finally faced justice after being charged with fraud and blackmail during his time leading The Institute.
Leanne, Nick and Amy all took the stand in court, determined to see Rowan brought to justice. It wasn’t an easy process, as Rowan’s defence barrister subjected all three to intense cross-examination.
Thankfully, the jury delivered a guilty verdict the very same day, and Rowan was sent to prison. Nick, Leanne, Amy, Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) and Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) were later seen celebrating the outcome at the Rovers Return.
What Is Emrhys Cooper Doing Now?
After leaving Weatherfield behind, Emrhys Cooper went on to portray Prince Frederick in a pantomime version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which opened at St Helens Theatre Royal in Liverpool in December 2024.
The 40-year-old actor, who hails from Devon, had previously lived in the United States before returning to the UK to land his role on Coronation Street. He now appears to have made the move back to the States.
Earlier this year, Emrhys starred as Damien in the series Hollywood Heartthrob, which debuted on Prime Video. He is currently appearing in season 10 of the Emmy-winning series The Bay, also available on Prime Video.
Taking to Instagram, Emrhys recently posted a photo of himself at the premiere of The Bay, looking completely different from his Coronation Street character.
The actor has swapped his longer, bleached-blonde hair for a shorter, darker style and now sports a neatly groomed moustache after trimming back his fuller beard, finished off with a gold hoop earring.
In another social media post, Emrhys showed off his new look while open-water swimming as he trained for an Iron Man challenge earlier this year.
The star’s recent look hasn’t gone unnoticed, with friends and fans flooding his social media with compliments. One wrote: “Here he goes — LOOK AT HIS HAIR!”
Another simply commented: “Handsome,” with a string of heart emojis, while a third added: “Gorgeous as ever, darling.”
“Looking younger by the day,” remarked one follower, and another chimed in: “Cutest Iron Man ever!”
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