Alex Cooper (podcaster)
American podcaster (born 1994)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alexandra Cooper (born August 21, 1994) is an American podcaster who co-created and hosts Call Her Daddy, a weekly comedy and advice podcast. In 2021, Time called her "arguably the most successful woman in podcasting" after she signed a three-year exclusive deal with Spotify worth $60 million.[1] Making $20 million per year made her Spotify's highest-earning female podcaster and the second-highest-paid podcaster, behind only Joe Rogan.[2][3] The show was also the second-most-popular podcast globally on Spotify for 2024, behind Rogan.[4]
August 21, 1994
Alex Cooper | |||||||||||||||||
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Cooper interviewed by Barstool Radio in 2023 | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | Alexandra Cooper August 21, 1994 Newtown, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Boston University | ||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Podcaster | ||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 2018–present | ||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||||||||||
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Rolling Stone labeled her "the new generation's Barbara Walters" for frequently enlisting high-profile Hollywood talent and influential individuals in American popular culture to be guests on her podcast.[5] In 2023, Cooper was named to the TIME100 Next list.[6] In 2025, Cooper was named to Time magazine's inaugural "TIME100 Creators" list—appearing in the "Titans" category—for her impact as the creator and host of the Call Her Daddy podcast.[7]
Early life and education
Cooper was raised in Newtown, Pennsylvania,[8] and is the youngest of three siblings. Her father is a TV sports producer and her mother is a psychologist.[9]
She attended St. Andrew's Catholic School and The Pennington School in Mercer County, New Jersey. She enrolled at Boston University in 2013, where she studied film and television and played on the school's Division I soccer team.[10]
Career
Barstool Sports (2017–2021)
After college, Cooper moved to New York City and worked in advertising sales. In 2018, Cooper and her roommate, Sofia Franklyn, created the Call Her Daddy podcast. One month after its first episode, it was acquired by Barstool Sports.[2] The podcast rapidly increased in popularity, with downloads rising from 12,000 to 2 million in two months.[11]
Spotify (2021–2024)
In 2021, Cooper signed a three-year exclusive deal with Spotify worth $60 million.[12] Following her public split with Franklyn, Cooper transitioned the show to an interview format where the second voice was always provided by her guests.[3] The podcast amassed over 4.4 million followers on Spotify.[13]
Since signing with the music streaming service, Cooper "steadily grown in stature," according to Vanity Fair,[14] which reported that her show became "an increasingly common forum for celebrity interviews and the leading archetype in a large ecosystem of podcasts centered on relationships and advice."[14]
In 2023, Spotify's CEO, Daniel Ek, noted Cooper's podcast helped drive engagement of younger women with the service, contributing to a surge in year-over-year monthly active users and revenue by 27% and 11%, respectively.[15] Spotify data showed that guest appearances on Cooper's podcast led to dramatic spikes in musicians' streaming numbers.[16] Anitta's streams rose 155%, Madison Beer's climbed 130%, John Legend's 200%, and John Mayer's 350%.[16]
In September 2023, Cooper started The Unwell Network, a podcast network to partner with Spotify's enterprise platform, Megaphone, for the hosting and distribution of popular podcasts. She signed Alix Earle and Madeline Argy for Hot Mess with Alix Earle and Pretty Lonesome with Madeline Argy.[17][18][19] In February 2025, it was reported that Alix Earle departed from the network.[20]
Cooper was a commentator and host during NBC coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics.[21]
SiriusXM and Unwell expansion (2024–present)
In August 2024, Cooper signed a $125 million, three-year deal with SiriusXM which replaced Spotify as her distribution and advertising partner beginning in 2025.[22][23]
In November 2024, Cooper announced the launch of Unwell Hydration, a beverage line produced in partnership with Nestlé and aimed at women's wellness. Introduced as an electrolyte-infused drink, it debuted exclusively at Target stores and online in the United States on January 1, 2025. Cooper stated that the drink was developed in response to a market she perceived as predominantly targeting men.[24][25]
In June 2025, Cooper was the seventh highest-earning creator on the Forbes Top-Earning Creators list, with estimated earnings of $32 million in 2024, making her the highest-earning female creator on the list.[26]
In July 2025, Cooper performed "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" at a Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals game at Wrigley Field, a performance that was received unfavorably by the crowd.[27]
In October 2025, Cooper launched Unwell Creative Agency, an advertising and creative agency operating under her media company, Unwell.[28] The agency positioned itself as a conduit for brands seeking to reach Gen Z audiences through podcasts, live events, and original productions. The agency secured its first reported client through a multiyear creative and media agreement with Google, involving the production of social media advertising and live event activations tied to Google’s Pixel and Android products.[28]
Call Her Alex documentary
In 2025, Cooper was the subject of Call Her Alex, a two-part documentary series that premiered at the Tribeca Festival before streaming on Hulu and Disney+. Directed by Ry Russo-Young, the docuseries traced Cooper's life and career from her childhood in Pennsylvania through the launch and massive success of the Call Her Daddy podcast. It featured behind-the-scenes footage of her first live tour and provided insight into the end of her professional partnership with Sofia Franklyn. The documentary also included an account of her collegiate athletic career, during which Cooper alleged she was subjected to years of sexual harassment by her former Boston University soccer coach.[29]
Acting debut
Cooper is slated to make her acting debut in the upcoming film adaptation of Verity (2026), in which she will appear as herself, hosting her podcast Call Her Daddy and interviewing the character Verity Crawford, played by Anne Hathaway.[30]
Personal life
In 2023, Cooper became engaged to film producer Matt Kaplan. They married on April 6, 2024, in the Riviera Maya, Mexico.[6][31] In May 2026, Cooper announced that she and Kaplan were expecting their first child together.[32]
