Iconic 80s movie star looks unrecognizable as he steps out in LA 40 years after smash hit movie – do you recognise him?
Best known for playing Chunk, the beloved truffle-shuffler from the 1985 Spielberg -produced hit, The Goonies, Cohen looked world's away from his onscreen persona.
6
6
6
Now 50, the one-time child star currently works as a successful entertainment lawyer.
Dressed in a suit jacket, jeans, and a maroon fedora, Jeff was a far cry from the ice cream-obsessed, Hawaii-shirt-wearing-mischief-maker he played as a kid.
Before leaving acting behind, Cohen appeared in hit TV shows like Family Ties, The Facts of Life, and Webster, but he says it was puberty that ended his Hollywood dream.
"There were basically about four fat kids in town, so every time there was a fat kid role, you saw the same people at the audition," Jeff once shared.
"It was survival of the fattest. 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."
He added: "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."
Cohen, who studied at UC Berkeley and later went to UCLA School of Law, co-founded Cohen Gardner LLP in 2002.
Despite his fame as a child, he says clients have no problem taking him seriously.
"My clients get a kick out of the fact their lawyer is Chunk. They dig it," he said. "With my job, I'm dealing with legitimately famous people, so it's just silly and fun.
"I'm usually only the fifth most famous person in the room at any one time."
Cohen's memories of making The Goonies remain vivid.
"It was great," he recalled. "For me, the best part about it was Richard Donner the director. He was big on letting the kids be kids and I think that's one of the reasons the movie stands up today."
He continued: "People still watch the movie themselves or watch it with their own kids. Even though it's very eighties in the fashions, it's still kids being kids.
"Richard Donner wanted us to improvise, talk over each other, push and shove and kind of do our thing.
"I think that's one of the reasons people like it. It doesn't seem like kids acting. It's just kids being themselves, which Richard really encouraged. He wanted us to be comfortable."
Recalling one particular moment with Donner, Jeff said: "In the scene where Sloth picks me up while I'm strapped to a chair, I was told he wasn't going to pick me up because John Matuszak's back hurt.
"But of course, John was so strong it was nothing to him, so he just picked me up and kissed me. My shock and horror was real. I wasn't that good an actor – that was actual terror on my face."
Earlier this year, Jeff reunited with his co-stars to celebrate fellow Goonie Ke Huy Quan, who played Data, as he was honored at the TCL Chinese Theater.
Cohen, along with Corey Feldman, Josh Brolin, Kerri Green, and screenwriter Chris Columbus turned out to support Quan, who won an Oscar last year for Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Jeff, now Ke Huy Quan's entertainment lawyer, gave his friend a proud bear hug as the group relived their childhood memories on the red carpet.
6
6
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
11 minutes ago
- The Sun
Millionaire Sacha's fat jab jibe is a kick in the abs to normal people struggling with obesity
SACHA Baron Cohen admits he paid a personal trainer 'a lot of money' to get the kind of body that your regular middle-aged man could only dream of. And why wouldn't he? He is already a multi-millionaire and he is even being paid to get fit for his new Marvel role — nice work if you can get it. 7 7 Which is why his comment about skinny jabs seemed so cheap and sneering. Alongside an Instagram post of his new ripped, oiled, hairless torso he wrote: 'Some celebs use Ozempic and some use private chefs, others use personal trainers. I did all three.' Within hours his aides admitted he was joking about the Ozempic. Presumably before the personal trainer sued for reputational damage — and mainly because it is just not funny. By laughing at celebrities who use Ozempic he has also looked down his nose at all those who have turned to the jabs to lose weight. We don't all have the means to enjoy a private chef or personal trainer, Sacha. Fat-shaming jokes hurt, no matter what their form. And skinny jabs are no laughing matter for those who have struggled with obesity for years. Their choice shouldn't be made fun of. Mocking them isn't big or clever. Sacha's smug comments insinuate that they are somehow cheating too. But who cares? If it works, it works. Skinny jabs such as Mounjaro and Ozempic have transformed lives. Yes, some people have cheated the system to buy the medication privately without a prescription but, mostly, people use it as a last resort to tackle health problems associated with obesity. There is now a guessing game of 'who has and hasn't' used it when people lose weight because often they are too embarrassed or ashamed to admit it because of people like Sacha. He was trying to be funny, but his Ozempic comment was unnecessary. There was no guessing game in his transformation — the magazine detailed exactly how he got in shape — and this is a man who has clearly never struggled with his weight either. Sacha is right, though, when he says 'some celebs use Ozempic'. Oprah Winfrey says skinny jabs not only helped transform her weight but her mental health too after years of suffering because comedians would poke fun at her figure. Deliberate dig Now comedian Sacha is poking fun at countless others for how they deal with their weight problems, too. Robbie Williams said that the skinny drugs are like a 'miracle' for him and helped his mental health, while Whoopi Goldberg may have saved her life with them after peaking at a deadly 21st. I admire them all for speaking out and telling the truth. And there is actress Rebel Wilson, who admitted she used Ozempic as part of an overhaul for her health. Her public spat with Sacha is so well documented, and I can't help wondering if his barbed comment was actually a deliberate dig aimed specifically at her. As well as the Ozempic comment, he said of the photo: 'This is not AI. 'I really am egotistical enough to do this.' Yes Sacha, you are egotistical. But also very much out of touch with reality, too. Skechers may need to give Myleene the boot SO Myleene Klass has a juicy deal to promote Skechers trainers. And in this promo shoot she looks amazing, toned, fit and defying her 47 years of age. 7 The problem is her footwear is probably the last thing any of us are looking at. Shame on Jay idiots THE tragic death of Jay Slater was a horrible accident that could have happened to any one of the thousands of teenagers who holiday abroad every year. My heart goes out to his parents. 7 I hope they got some closure on Friday when the inquest into his death finally ruled it had been an accident, that he had died from a fall and, thankfully, would not have been in pain. I also hope this verdict puts a stop to the absolute idiots who were part of the online super-sleuthing surrounding his death and now makes them realise how utterly stupid and insensitive they were to Jay and his traumatised family. The groundless, false theories that circulated on the internet after Jay went missing included him being kidnapped after crossing 'Moroccan drugs gangs', his disappearance being faked to scam money in donations from the public, and the Mafia having somehow played a role. When somebody disappears now, a ghoulish fascination emerges, with unqualified glory hunters turning detective and believing or adding to the ridiculous conspiracies they read online. It has to stop. They are causing more harm than good. And they are making a mockery of themselves while they're at it. PERKY gym bunny Georgia Toomey was fuming at being asked to zip up her top in Wetherspoons to cover up her sports bra because it was a 'family-friendly pub'. What she should have felt is a bit daft for flashing a sports bra in a pub in the first place. 7 It is a bra – designed to be worn under clothes unless you're in your own home, posing in a lap-dancing bar or working out without a top on at the gym. Underwear is not for prancing around your local boozer, or nipping into Tesco. You'd give someone a heart attack. Face it, joke is wrong ON his daughter's last day at school, Chris Napthine decided to put on an ape costume and mask because he says: 'I was just trying to embarrass her'. Which he has now well and truly achieved because the school has kicked off, saying it's a safeguarding issue because they can't see who is picking up kids when the person's face is covered – which is a very valid point. 7 And no parent would like a call from the school office saying that a giant gorilla had nabbed little Johnny and they no longer know his whereabouts. Maybe Chris should try to remember it's the kids who are the ones that are supposed to be monkeying around, not the adults. IF you want some light entertainment, I can highly recommend the car crash interview on Monday's Lorraine show between Christine Lampard and Helen Lederer, who is appearing in the new Fawlty Towers stage show. It was as hilariously chaotic as an old episode of the vintage sitcom. Helen kicked off the chat by asking Christine if she watched the original series when she was 'at school'. Despite the fact Christine was born the same year the final episode aired, she managed to keep her composure. Then actress Helen admitted she wasn't even sure how to pronounce Manuel and hadn't bothered watching the old episodes for research. Basil would have lots to say. Rayn in excess WOMAN of the people Angela Rayner has splashed out on not one but two new beds for her grace-and-favour government flat, costing £7,000. Which, unless they're gold-plated, is sheer madness. While the rest of us are tightening our belts, the Deputy PM actually ordered them not long after a public visit to an Ikea store in Warrington. Surely Ange could have found a minion to assemble a bit of flat pack and save the taxpayer about £6,500. AS I was scrolling through Instagram (again!) and had a nosey at Nicola Peltz Beckham's pictures, my six-year-old had a look over my shoulder and asked: 'Eurgh! Mummy, why is there a photo of her naked in the bath?' The only real explanation I could think of was: 'To get up her in-laws' noses.' 7 Instead, I just shrugged and replied: 'To show off.' He didn't question it – but I did. What was she thinking?
Daily Mail
41 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
WWE star Chelsea Green quits social media after being attacked over controversial Hulk Hogan tribute
WWE superstar Chelsea Green has been forced to flee social media after receiving horrific death threats over her comments on the late Hulk Hogan. Green, WWE's inaugural Women's United States Champion, paid tribute to the wrestling legend live on CBS News 24/7 shortly after his death from cardiac arrest Thursday. The 34-year-old attempted to give as balanced outlook on the 'Hulkster', acknowledging his 'polarizing political views' before hailing the impact of the 'absolute icon.' However, given her advocacy of the LGBTQ + community, some fans slammed the Canadian fighter for speaking out in support of the wrestler, who had been an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump and had endured a racism scandal in 2015. As the abusive criticism began to flood in on social media, Green attempted to clarify her comments, apologizing for any offense she had caused. 'A significant part of my role at @WWE involves engaging w the public & responding to questions, often on live platforms,' Green wrote on X. 'Yesterday, I was asked to comment on Hulk Hogan on live tv. Let me be clear: my stance on racism is unwavering. I do not condone it—period. 'If my response (or tweet) seemed dismissive of real concerns, I sincerely apologize,' Green continued. 'That was never my intention. I tried to acknowledge a death respectfully, even when the legacy is complicated. I am learning one day at a time and will continue to learn.' However, the vitriolic reaction to her remarks was not quelled by her apology. Instead, it only began to escalate to such a level that Green was forced to take a step back from the platform. 'I've tried to keep my page positive and comedic, but today, a lot changed… and it hit harder than I expected. The name calling, the death threats, the faceless accounts,' she posted Friday night. 'Social media was supposed to be a fun place and it hasn't been for a while. It's been overwhelming and I need to step away for a little bit.' Hogan died at the age of 71 on Thursday after suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida. EMTs were called to the property and the wrestler was transported to a nearby medical facility, where he ultimately passed away. Before his death, Hogan launched his own beer brand and became known as an ardent Trump supporter. He endorsed Trump's presidential candidacy at the 2024 GOP convention and later spoke in favor of his fellow reality TV star at a Madison Square Garden rally in October. He even pitched himself to be Trump's Vice President before JD Vance was chosen. But in some corners, his act was growing tired, especially after Hogan was recorded using racist slurs in 2015. In a video made public by The National Enquirer, Hogan said 'I guess we're all a little racist' and used the n-word while referring to his daughter's love life, repeating the phrase 'f***ing n******' several times. Anger over the incident continued into this year as Hogan was booed during a rare WWE appearance in Los Angeles. Although Green opened her on-air tribute to Hogan by acknowledging the divisive aspect of his life, she went on to praise his 'legacy.' 'He was an absolute icon,' she told CBS News 24/7. 'If it weren't for Hulk Hogan there are many of us in the wrestling industry that absolutely would not be here. He inspired a massive generation. It is a loss that we are feeling deeply in the wrestling community.' Hogan is survived by his wife Sky Daily, his two children, Brooke, 36, and Nick, 34, whom he shared with his first wife Linda Hogan, as well as two grandchildren. Sky was Hogan's third wife, marrying the former wrestler in 2023 following his divorces from ex-wives Linda and Jennifer McDaniel in 2009 and 2021 respectively. Through the final months of his life, Hogan battle through the emotional toll of a bitter family feud with ex-wife Linda and his daughter Brooke. In an astonishing video on social media shared back in March, Linda first accused her former husband of being a 'complete liar' and 'sex addict' . She also claimed their family is 'in the worst mess' after Brooke cut both parents out of her life, before hitting back at her mom by alleging that her dad was not the only reason behind the shocking family divide, claiming she was 'verbally and mentally abused' during her childhood. 'Sadly, it would frequently turn physical. And sometimes it's not by the person you would assume, abuse comes in all shapes and sizes,' Brooke alleged. After Brooke's stunning response, Linda then took a dramatic U-turn by defending Hogan and branding her daughter a 'narcissist.'
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Elon Musk opened a diner in Hollywood. What could go wrong? I went to find out
It was just before lunchtime on its third day of operation, and the line outside Elon Musk's new Tesla Diner in Hollywood already stretched to nearly 100 people. The restaurant has been billed as a 'retro-futuristic' drive-in where you can grab a high-end burger and watch classic films on giant screens, all while charging your Tesla. After months of buildup and controversy, the diner had suddenly opened on Monday, at 4.20pm, the kind of stoner boy joke that Musk is well-known for. Hundreds of fans lined up to try burgers in Cybertruck-shaped boxes, or take photos of the Optimus robot serving popcorn on the roof deck of the gleaming circular diner. But that was for the grand opening. Less than 48 hours later, when we visited for lunch, the Tesla Diner experience was less a futuristic fantasy than a case study in how to fail with impunity. Many parts of the experience were breaking down, the food was mediocre, yet the fans were still cheerfully lining up to buy merch. The line to get into the diner on Wednesday morning was so long, an employee told us, in part because of technical problems. The app that allowed Tesla drivers to order from their cars was glitching, so the diner was 'prioritizing' Tesla owners who had to come inside to order instead. This meant that non-Tesla owners in the walk-up line might need to wait as long as two to three hours before we got our food. I expected at least a few people to leave the walk-up line immediately, but the only ones who did were two families of Tesla owners who went back to order from within their cars. Even if the app didn't work for them, they would still get their food faster. The hierarchy was clear: things were broken for everyone, but owners of Musk products had to suffer slightly less. The rest of us kept waiting in the hot sun. 'Retro-futurism', in this case, seemed to mean gorgeous, Tesla-inspired, mid-century modern architecture coupled with wait times that would shutter an ordinary McDonald's. An episode of Star Trek was playing on the giant drive-in movie screens, but the best entertainment available was watching tricked-out Cybertrucks arrive and depart. I counted at least six when I arrived, and more kept appearing: a neon orange Cybertruck with Texas plates, another floating on giant custom rims. I did not spot a single anti-Musk protester, though social media posts were advertising protests outside the diner later in the week. Musk's special projects have often unfolded with a degree of chaos. Most recently, his attempt to dismantle the large parts of the US government ended with him feuding with the president he had spent nearly $300m to elect. Serving high-end burgers to Tesla fans while they charge their electric cars should be much easier than launching space rockets, developing brain implants or running a social media platform that is not overrun with hate speech and harassment. And Musk's diner operation partners, the Los Angeles chef Eric Greenspan, who advised Mr Beast Burger, and restaurateur Bill Chait, of République and Tartine Bakery, have impressive food industry credentials. But the billionaire CEO tends to make big promises and not quite fulfill them. That appeared to be true even for a tiny burger joint. You don't have to own a Tesla to order a meal at the diner, and its appeal clearly reached far beyond Tesla drivers. There were many people in the walk-up line on Wednesday with babies and small children, some of whom were particularly excited to be visiting the Tesla Diner after seeing videos about it online. While we all waited and waited, employees in branded T-shirts brought us glasses of water and paper menus. Jake Hook, who runs a Los Angeles-focused 'Diner Theory' social media account, had described the Tesla Diner menu to me as 'all over the place', with a combination of 'very fast food shlocky' items combined with sandwiches made with 'bread from Tartine', the luxury California bakery. The diner also offers a mix of 'own the libs' and 'we are the libs' options: on the one hand, 'Epic Bacon', four strips of bacon are served with sauces as a meatfluencer alternative to french fries, and on the other, avocado toast and matcha lattes. There was a kale salad served in a cardboard Cybertruck: welcome to southern California. 'Diners are kind of a reflection of the community, and it doesn't seem to really be that,' Hook told me over the phone. 'It's like a diner-themed restaurant.' An employee gave the Wednesday walk-up line another update: they didn't have chicken, waffles or milkshakes, or any of the 'charged sodas', which came with boba and maraschino cherries and extra caffeine. 'It gets better and better,' sighed a man behind me. Josh Bates and his son Phoenix were in town for the day from Orange county, where they lived. 'We are big Musk fans,' he said. Phoenix, age 10, had been excited to visit the diner. 'I never seen Elon Musk open a restaurant, so I just wanted to come here and see how the food is,' he explained. But after waiting in line for 20 minutes and not getting much closer to ordering, Bates decided it was time to find somewhere else for lunch. 'It's the grand opening – things happen,' the father said. 'It is what it is. They're doing the best they can.' Bates wasn't the only Musk fan with this attitude. Ivan Daza, 36, who lived in Los Angeles, later told me that he had waited two hours the day before, only to be told around 6 or 7pm that the Tesla Diner's kitchen was closed. He had brought his eight-year-old daughter back the next day to try again. She had seen the Tesla Diner on YouTube and was especially excited to see the Optimus robot. But it turned out that Optimus was not in operation. Daza said he was surprised by the various problems the kitchen seemed to be having – he thought they would have a 'plan B'. But he was pleased the diner offered an 'experience'. The prices, though expensive, weren't that bad for Los Angeles. The burger was $13.50, without french fries. Later, as Daza ate the meal that had taken him two days to get, he grinned: 'Delicious.' The interior design was certainly closer to Disneyland than In-N-Out: all sleek and shining chrome, futuristic 1950s white chairs and tables, and beautifully designed lighting. The curved staircase up to the Skypad was decorated with robots in display cases on the wall. Inside a curved chrome window was what looked like a pretty ordinary, low-tech restaurant kitchen. I had waited in line for a full hour before I could place my order. When I finally got to the register, I asked an employee to remind me what on the menu was actually available. She said I needed to check the screen in front of me – they had whatever was there. It turned out, contrary to what I had been told, that I could order both chicken and waffles. After the long wait outside, my food arrived in about 10 minutes – much less than the three-hour wait I feared, but absurdly long for any fast-casual restaurant. A waffle, branded with the Tesla lightning bolt, was cold. The fried chicken had a tasty coating but was also cold. The heap of kale and tomatoes was only partially dressed with an odd dill-flavored dressing. The generic-brand cola tasted cheap and was served with a woke bamboo straw. But the food did come in elaborate Cybertruck boxes – and they were, to be honest, delightful. While locals seemed to be forgiving of the new diner's glitches, some tourists were less impressed. Rick Yin, 32, who was visiting Los Angeles from China with his mother, had stopped by the diner on their way to the airport to 'grab a quick lunch' that had turned out not to be quick at all. Yin had also been excited to see the Optimus robot in action, and had hoped the diner would be 'more hi-tech'. What he had found was 'a regular restaurant'. 'It's all right,' he said, while still waiting for his food. After eating, he said he liked the Cybertruck boxes: 'That's the only thing that's worth it.' I took my meal upstairs , to the Skypad, an open-air balcony with a view of the charging Teslas. The Twilight Zone was now playing on two giant screens. I sat down next to a steady line of people buying Tesla Diner merch: a $95 retro diner hoodie, $65 Tesla salt and pepper shakers, a $175 'levitating Cybertruck' figurine. There was a large popcorn machine in front of me, which seemed to be where Optimus had been serving snacks on opening night. Musk had been posting on X earlier in the morning that 'Optimus will bring the food to your car next year' and suggesting the robot might be dressed in a 'cute' retro outfit. In reality, Optimus was nowhere in sight. The robot was 'out today', an employee told me later, as if the pricey piece of machinery were a human celebrity with a busy schedule. 'Maybe tomorrow.' 'Is it possible to get some popcorn regardless of the robot?' a woman asked. 'It's probably old popcorn,' an employee told her regretfully. A different employee warned me that I could not walk down the same staircase I had taken up to the Skypad because it was too crowded and that 'everyone's colliding with each other and trays and milkshakes'. I would have to go down another way: a bland flight of stairs without any hi-tech decoration. During a Tesla earnings call on Wednesday, as the company disclosed declining revenue and profits, Musk highlighted his new burger palace as a success: 'Diners don't typically get headline news around Earth,' he bragged. He also called the diner 'a shiny beacon of hope in an otherwise sort-of bleak urban landscape'. (It is located on Santa Monica Boulevard, in a neighborhood full of high-end art galleries.) I'd had plenty of time in the diner line to think about 'retro-futuristic' experiences, and how good a description that was, not so much for this very ordinary diner, but for the rightwing political project that Musk had joined. We were now moving into a future that offered tank-like electric cars and on-demand drone deliveries, and also a resurgence of measles outbreaks and women dying from preventable pregnancy-related complications. But continuing to function in the United States right now requires being very good at compartmentalization. I tucked away the cardboard Cybertruck lids to show my co-workers, threw away the Tesla waffles, and went on with my day. Nothing works properly here any more, but hey, it's an experience.
