You’ve seen them on screen for years, dodging lasers and punching bad guys in spandex. To a whole generation of kids, Cooper Barnes and Jace Norman weren’t just actors; they were Captain Man and Kid Danger. But then the show ended, the set of the Man Cave was struck, and everyone started asking the same thing: Are they actually friends, or was that just for the cameras? Honestly, the truth is way more interesting than the "industry secret" rumors you might find on a random TikTok scroll.
Swellview felt like a real place because of their chemistry. You can't fake that kind of timing. Jace was barely a teenager when he started, and Cooper was the seasoned improv vet. It’s a weird dynamic on paper, but it turned into one of the most successful duos in Nickelodeon history.
The Henry Danger Movie and the 2025 Shift
Fans lost their minds when Henry Danger: The Movie finally hit Paramount+ in early 2025. It had been years. People were worried it wouldn't feel the same. Seeing a grown-up Henry Hart working in Dystopia alongside a "variant" Jasper (shoutout to Sean Ryan Fox’s Spanish-speaking sleep-fighting) was a trip. But the big question was Cooper.
While Jace was the lead, Cooper Barnes’ appearance as Ray Manchester reminded everyone why the show worked. It wasn't just a cameo; it was a passing of the torch. Jace didn't just act in this one, though. He produced it through his company, Starlight Productions.
That’s the big shift. Jace isn’t just the "kid" anymore. He’s basically a mogul in training. He signed a massive overall deal with Nickelodeon and ViacomCBS to create and produce content. He’s behind the scenes now, calling shots on projects like Danger Force (where he even made his directorial debut in Season 3).
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Why the "Beef" Rumors Are Baseless
Internet sleuths love a good falling out. People pointed to Jace’s lower social media activity as "evidence" that he was distancing himself from his past. Or from Cooper.
Total nonsense.
They’ve done the BFF challenges. They’ve posted the behind-the-scenes goofs. If you look at Cooper’s interviews, he talks about Jace like a younger brother. He watched the kid grow up in a high-pressure environment. Jace has been open about his struggles with dyslexia and the mental health toll of being a child star. Cooper was there for all of it. In a 2026 landscape where every celebrity "friendship" feels like a PR stunt, these two actually seem to like each other.
Where They Are Now: 2026 and Beyond
Cooper Barnes hasn't slowed down. Besides being the face of the Dangerverse, he’s branched out into projects like Gunslingers and St. Denis Medical. The guy is a workhorse. He’s also stayed heavily involved in the Nickelodeon world, serving as an executive producer on Danger Force.
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Jace? He’s playing it smarter.
He’s picky. He isn’t just taking every role that comes his way. After five seasons of Henry Danger and the massive success of the 2025 film, he’s focusing on the business side. There were rumors of a new spinoff series being shelved recently, which sucks for fans, but it shows that the team is more interested in quality than just milking the brand dry.
- Jace Norman's Focus: Producing, directing, and high-level creative development.
- Cooper Barnes' Focus: Acting, improv, and keeping the Captain Man legacy alive.
- Their Shared Legacy: A franchise that survived the transition from cable TV to streaming dominance.
It’s easy to forget that Henry Danger was one of the last "big" multi-camera sitcoms that actually felt like a cultural event for kids.
What Most People Get Wrong About the "Split"
People think that because they aren't constantly posting selfies together, the friendship is over. In reality, they're just adults with different career trajectories. Cooper is the guy who loves the craft of being on set every day. Jace is the guy who wants to own the studio.
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They’re basically the real-life version of their characters’ evolution. Henry outgrew the sidekick role and became his own hero. Ray stayed the hero because that’s what he loves.
Honestly, the most impressive thing isn't the superpowers or the gadgets. It’s that they survived the "child star curse" without a single major scandal. That says a lot about the environment they built together.
The Next Steps for Fans
If you're looking to keep up with what's actually happening next, don't rely on "leak" accounts on X. Follow their official production updates.
- Check out Starlight Productions' upcoming slate if you want to see what Jace is building.
- Watch Danger Force for Cooper’s latest work as Captain Man—he’s still the anchor of that universe.
- Revisit the 2025 Henry Danger movie on Paramount+ to see the culmination of their decade-long partnership.
The "Dangerverse" might be changing, but the foundation those two built isn't going anywhere. They proved that a kid from Corrales, New Mexico, and a comedy veteran from Michigan could become the biggest things on TV by just having genuine chemistry.