Dominic Cooper tapped into outsider experience for Preacher

Dominic Cooper credits his U.K. upbringing for helping him to bring a fresh perspective to his TV work.

The actor grew up in England but has relocated to the U.S. for periods of time after landing roles in films such as Need for Speed and Captain America: The First Avenger and TV show Agent Carter.

For his latest major project, Dominic has been starring as a preacher with superpowers in AMC series Preacher, and he claims that being an outsider has really informed his take on the character and script.

"I clearly remember arriving in that country for the first time ever and it was unlike anything you know from here. It's a completely new world," he told Den of Geek. "I think that sometimes people from afar can do that better, it's much easier to look at something you're not so close to and understand it or see it for exactly what it is. It's why foreign filmmakers who make films about London often have a really interesting take on it."

Preacher is an adaptation of the comic book series of the same name by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, and was originally published under DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. And as with Ennis and Dillon, Dominic can understand why talented writers and artists are choosing to work in America rather than Britain.

"We still make the best TV here in the U.K., we make some fantastic stuff, it's incredible, but everyone goes," he said, going on to explain that writers are flocking from film to TV. "The writers want to work in television because they're given such scope and freedom within their medium."

In Preacher, the 39-year-old performs in a number of action sequences and choreographed fight scenes. And he admits that stunt coordinators in Hollywood are a cut above the rest.

"There's only a handful of people that are astonishing at doing it and the guy that we've been working on Preacher has been incredible, and he loves doing everything in one sequence," said Dominic.

A second season of Preacher, which also stars Ruth Negga and Joseph Gilgun, premiered in late June.