The Goonies, which was released in 1985, was an adventure comedy that went on to become a cult classic. Based on a story by Steven Spielberg, the film also served as a stepping stone for young Josh Brolin, Sean Astin, and Ke Huy Quan to become big stars in Hollywood. One of the key characters in the movie was Lawrence ‘Chunk’ Cohen played by actor Jeff Cohen.
Unfortunately, unlike the other actors, Cohen was unable to make a breakthrough in Hollywood as he grew older. One of the main reasons for this was his significant weight loss which made him look completely different from his cult character in The Goonies. The star confessed that filmmakers could not look past this avatar when it came to offering him roles.
This Cult Film Ironically Did Not Do Much For This Child Star’s Future
The Goonies was an adventure comedy that was directed and co-produced by Richard Donner. The narrative follows a bunch of kids from the ‘Goon-Docks’ area of Astoria, Oregon, who discover a treasure map that takes them on an adventure to unearth the fortune of a legendary 17th-century pirate.
The film saw future big stars of Hollywood like Josh Brolin taking their first step towards stardom. The movie also benefited from a key character called Lawrence ‘Chunk’ Cohen played by Jeff Cohen. True to his name, he played a funny, fat, and gluttonous kid who is the butt of all jokes among his gang of friends. But the character proves his worth through his clever actions that save the day.
Although this was a stereotypical role, Cohen’s portrayal impressed audiences and made the character a memorable one for the ages. But in an ironic twist, it also proved to be an obstacle and a nemesis for the star to rise the ranks in Hollywood, by his own admission.
In an interview with The Daily Mail (via Slash Film), Cohen revealed that the role of Chunk became such an integral part of his personality that directors were unable to look past the ‘fat kid’ image while offering him roles as an adult. Furthermore, the actor lost a considerable amount of weight as he grew older, which also did not help his cause.
But when I hit puberty, it was a career ender for me. I was transforming from Chunk to hunk and I couldn’t get roles any more. It was terrible. My first love was acting but puberty had other ideas. It was a forced retirement. I didn’t give up acting. Acting gave me up.
After The Goonies, Cohen starred in Ask Max while also appearing in episodes of series like Family Ties, Amazing Stories, and She’s the Sheriff. But at age 17, his acting career hit a wall after starring in the Disney TV movie Perfect Harmony.
The Goonies Director Was Instrumental In Jeff Cohen’s Change Of Career
Jeff Cohen had a dramatic change in fortune after achieving cult status as ‘Chunk’ Cohen in The Goonies. The actor whose career took a nosedive after his failure to bag roles in Hollywood, had to quickly decide a different path to follow outside of the industry. Having taken the decision to pursue his education through a college degree, he wrote a letter to director Richard Donner in which he candidly spoke about his acting struggles (via Slash Film).
Donner and his wife then showed their utmost generosity by paying for Cohen’s college tuition to get into law school. Thanks to their kind gesture, the former child star went on to graduate successfully and is now a top entertainment attorney and the co-founder of the Cohen & Gardner firm in Beverly Hills (via Variety).
Cohen though, still holds his famous character close to his heart according to The Daily Mail (via Slash Film). The actor-turned-lawyer has a poster of the film E.T. signed by Steven Spielberg, whose story was developed for The Goonies. In an extra special move, Spielberg had also signed off on the poster with the words, ‘You are my favorite Goonie’. The actor though, was modest in accepting this appreciation.
He probably says that to all the Goonies. I’m sure Feldman’s got one and [Sean] Astin’s got one. I’d like to think I was, but I don’t know.
While his acting career was not to be, the star proved that there are always other options to explore. His acceptance of his fate and his decision to carve another path for himself, ultimately worked out really well for him.
The Goonies can be rented on Apple TV.
