The internet thinks Tommy Wiseau is D.B. Cooper and it’s tearing me apart, Lisa

The internet theory that Tommy Wiseau, the infamous creator of The Room, is actually D.B. Cooper—the mysterious hijacker who vanished after parachuting from Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 in 1971—has taken on a life of its own. The meme originated from an xkcd comic strip and has grown in popularity, eventually landing on D.B. Cooper’s Wikipedia page. But is there any truth to it?

The theory mainly stems from a few coincidental connections between Wiseau and Cooper, though these connections are more amusing than substantive. Both men are described as having similar looks (when viewed at just the right angle and wearing sunglasses), and Wiseau’s background is as mysterious as Cooper’s: both men’s financial origins are unclear, and Wiseau’s age is also questioned. Additionally, Wiseau’s The Room was made with a large, somewhat unexplained sum of money, which some theorists point to as evidence of a potential connection.

However, upon closer inspection, the theory doesn’t hold up. For one, the timeline doesn’t fit—Cooper was likely in his early 40s in 1971, while Wiseau would have been a teenager or in his early 20s at the time. Witnesses reported that Cooper had no discernible accent, while Wiseau’s accent, on the other hand, is notoriously difficult to place. Even Wiseau himself has denied being D.B. Cooper, though whether or not he’s telling the truth remains a point of fun debate.

So, who is D.B. Cooper? While the true identity of Cooper remains a mystery, one of the most plausible theories is that Cooper was actually Richard Floyd McCoy, a man who was convicted of similar hijackings and had a skydiving background. New evidence, including a modified skydiving rig, has led some investigators to suspect McCoy, and YouTuber Dan Gryder’s investigation has prompted the FBI to re-examine the case.

In the end, it seems the idea that Tommy Wiseau is D.B. Cooper is just a humorous internet meme, albeit one that has captured the public’s imagination. While the Cooper case continues to baffle, it’s safe to say that Wiseau is not the hijacker—though, as far as we know, neither is anyone else… yet.