Actor Bradley Cooper’s cinematic turn as U.S Navy Seal Chris Kyle in American Sniper has earned him a Best Actor nomination, as well as box-office bragging rights – the movie is on track to bring in almost $200 million in only 10 days of release. But Cooper’s most influential takeaway may be his experience meeting veterans and their families who have seen the film.

“I’ve always been interested on a personal level in helping our vets – I’ve been a part of USO on tours for over eight years. I had an appreciation for veterans before this, but what I definitely did not know is the toll that it takes on the family,” said Cooper.

Cooper and Chris Kyle’s widow, Taya, have hosted screenings of American Sniper and visited hospitals, greeting veterans from all over the United States.

“People were willing to express themselves in a format that they would never do normally,” Cooper says. “But because they saw Chris’s story, they were willing to say, ‘Thank you for putting a guy I can relate to up there and have it be something right away that I know is accurate.’

“It’s been life-changing.”

Though Cooper calls himself “lucky” to have been nominated for an Oscar every year since 2012, this year’s honor for his portrayal of Kyle especially resonates with him.

“I would be lying if I said I didn’t get emotional when I heard my name and saw Chris’s picture up there,” said the actor. “I thought, ‘Thank God,’ because I felt the role merited that. I just hoped I did a good enough job for the Academy to recognize that his story is worthy to be a part of these other people’s stories.”