Dominic Cooper's teen regrets

Oct 7, 2009, 12:01 GMT

British actor Dominic Cooper Dominic Cooper regrets being a rebellious teenager. EPA/DANIEL DEME

Dominic Cooper regrets being a rebellious teenager.

The 'Mamma Mia!' star wishes he had taken his studies more seriously and listened to the advice teachers gave him.

He said: "I was misbehaving, and not taking responsibility. I was not listening to anything I should have been. I feel regretful for not appreciating more of the things that were offered to me such as the stuff the teachers were prepared to teach me. Why wasn't I more interested? I was sitting in the room, and they were telling me things that I didn't know, but I, for some reason, wasn't interested."

Dominic - who is dating his 'Mamma Mia!' co-star Amanda Seyfried - is pleased he enjoyed acting as he had no idea what he wanted to do with his life.

He added to America's OK! magazine: "I found it quite a difficult time because I found the decisions you're supposed to make at that age to be quite monumental. 'What are you doing with your life? What do you want your career to be? How are you going to end up?' If you don't know, you get into a bit of a panic.

"Thank God someone mentioned going to drama school. That's when I had some sort of direction."