For audiences who grew up in the 1980s, Jeff Cohen is instantly recognizable as “Chunk,” the scene-stealing character from the hit film The Goonies. But behind the comedic role and the famous “Truffle Shuffle” lies a very different second act—one that took him far from Hollywood and into the legal world.
Cohen rose to fame as a child actor after appearing in television programs such as Child’s Play and Body Language before landing his breakout role in The Goonies. The 1985 adventure film, produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Richard Donner, became a pop-culture classic, with Cohen’s portrayal of Chunk earning him lasting recognition.
However, Cohen’s acting career slowed dramatically as he entered adolescence. He has previously said that puberty changed the types of roles he was offered, ultimately leading him away from acting. Rather than remaining in the entertainment industry, he shifted his focus to education and personal development, stepping out of the spotlight entirely.
Cohen later attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he became involved in campus life and athletics, including time spent with the university’s football program. He eventually pursued a legal career, transitioning into entertainment law and building a reputation as an attorney rather than a performer. His journey from child star to legal professional has since been widely cited as one of Hollywood’s more unusual but successful reinventions.
