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Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper

Interview

Right: Bradley Cooper on the red carpet for the A Star Is Born screening during the 75th Venice Film Festival Born again star in August 2018 Having clinched Oscar nods for his acting talents, and struck upon a box offi ce smash hit Interestingly, it was Eastwood who for a directorial debut, Bradley Cooper might be forgiven for taking things easy – but the was originally set to direct A Star is star sees his recent successes as just the fi rst step on a new journey in Hollywood Born until he decided to pass on the project, and it fell into the hands of Cooper. Bradley saw Eastwood as adley Cooper sets his I do want to create art I can share The 45-year-old Cooper paved a role model in terms of how to take standards high. As with people. his way to success by graduating his career to the next level. “I love Ba young boy growing up “I’ve always been very ambitious from in him to death,” Cooper says. in , he acquired a love and I’m aware that in this business Washington, D.C. in 1997 with a “Clint’s like jazz, even as he lives of film from the moment his father you need to make the most of your degree in English literature. In the his life, stoic, very funny, doesn’t began taking him to a cinema time because success doesn’t last course of his studies, Cooper also take anything too seriously. We had located one street over from forever. I want to work as hard as spent six months as an exchange so many moments and we laughed their home. “He turned me on to possible and have a much fun as student in Aix-en-Provence, a tremendous amount while making all those 1970s auteur movies,” I can doing something I love very where he became fluent in French. , shockingly, Cooper recalled. much. I always dreamed of having He then went on to earn an MFA actually, given the content. But “I was really young. I remember these kinds of opportunities and degree in acting from I think that’s probably why he gets seeing when I want to achieve as much as I can Drama School at so many great performances out I was like, 12, and Apocalypse Now, for as long as I can keep working in 2000. of people because he makes them Network and The Deer Hunter. at this level.” He then slowly worked his way really feel at ease. “I loved those movies so much. Cooper succeeded in investing up the Hollywood ladder with “I look up to him so much. And I would just sort of live in the fantasy in his remake of a classic Hollywood a series of strong supporting roles I always had in my mind, ‘Well, he of whatever the feeling was after with the kind of screen magic that until he attained stardom with the was 41 when he directed Play Misty the movie was over. Living next to a inspires audiences. first of films in 2009 For Me...’ So I always thought when movie theatre, that was utopia.” A Star is Born captured the followed by his Oscar-nominated I get around that age then I gotta That was the beginning of a spirit that has long driven him as performances in Silver Linings just do it... A Star is Born was the journey that set him in pursuit of an actor; even though he tried Playbook and American Sniper. perfect sandbox to examine all the Hollywood. The latest zenith on that to learn as much as he could Directed by , things I wanted to investigate as a journey is A Star is Born, the 2018 about the process of filmmaking the latter film saw Cooper star as director – family trauma, addiction, movie which earned him three Oscar before realising his other ambition Iraqi war veteran and the plight of being alive, dealing with nominations for best director, actor, – directing. “I’ve wanted to be provided him with an opportunity love, finding your identity and and best picture (as producer). a director since I was a kid,” to observe the veteran actor/director your voice.” “The movie changed me,” Cooper said. at work and gain the confidence Cooper’s portrayal of the Cooper observed. “I always knew, goddamn it, I’m he needed to embark on his own doomed rock star Jackson Maine “Everything one does that gonna have to at some point put it multi-hyphenate journey. who enters into a downward spiral demands that you go to places out there and make my directorial of alcohol and drug abuse also bore in yourself and tackle things that debut. And then I was like, when am some uneasy parallels with Bradley’s scare the daylights out of you will I gonna have the guts to do it? own struggles with alcohol in his late do that... It’s a personal movie and “On every film set I tried to twenties. But unlike his screen alter after working on it for four and a learn everything I could by watching “A STAR IS BORN WAS THE ego, Cooper managed to put his life half years it doesn’t belong to me directors and trying to figure out PERFECT SANDBOX TO back on track, and hiring EXAMINE ALL THE THINGS anymore, it belongs to the public. what it takes to tell a great story. I WANTED TO INVESTIGATE as the up-and-coming whose “I’ve enjoyed sharing it because “So when I had the chance to AS A DIRECTOR” career eventually eclipses that of I don’t want to create art in a make [A Star is Born] I told myself Maine proved to be an inspired BRADLEY COOPER basement with two buddies – that this was it.” casting choice. ➤

14 Upward Curve April-June 2020 Interview

“We were both on this journey “We spent the whole day working studios, has just given him the for On the Waterfront and together. That was the unique and what was really surprising for greenlight for his follow-up venture West Side Story, as well as his aspect to it which really served the me is when I heard Bradley sing,” as actor/director – Bernstein – Bernstein Mass, turned him into movie. We both had a lot at stake recalled Gaga. a biopic about the late great a musical legend. with this and I think that upped the “I couldn’t believe how good American composer/conductor, It’s an ideal story for Cooper game for both of us and I think that he was because I never even Leonard Bernstein. who has long identified with heroic was why she committed so much knew that he sang! We did a lot Cooper will produce, direct, figures in all walks of life and time and effort to this project – it of harmonising and there was and star in the movie from a script particularly appreciates “stories wasn’t like she wasn’t busy!” something that just clicked when he co-wrote with Spotlight Oscar about redemption and overcoming One of the most interesting we were singing together.” winner . failure – the fact is that humans are revelations coming out of the film A Star is Born was a stunningly The film spans 30 years flawed, and we often need second – apart from Gaga’s outstanding successful directorial debut for in the life of Bernstein who, chances to succeed. acting performance – was Cooper’s Bradley Cooper. The film grossed aged 25, became the youngest Apart from the movies, formidable skill as a singer himself. $436 million worldwide on musical director of the New York Bradley Cooper’s other great His vocal talents shocked Gaga a relatively small budget of Philharmonic and whose scores passion in life is food. His Italian when she first heard him belt out $36 million, making it one of the mother and grandmother spent a few tunes when he came to her most profitable films of the decade. countless hours teaching him house to do what amounted to an As a result, Cooper, like Eastwood, how to whip up all manner of pasta “I GREW UP IN A WORLD all-day screen test. now has the kind of clout in the WHERE EVERYTHING WAS dishes and cakes. As a teenager, industry that will allow him to call BASED ON FOOD AND OUR Bradley worked as Greek restaurant Above: Bradley Cooper on the his shots in Hollywood for many CONVERSATIONS REVOLVED busboy, and later as a prep cook at AROUND WHAT WE ARE red carpet at the premiere of years to come. GOING TO EAT” an Italian eatery. “I was 15 when I A Star is Born in Los Angeles’ , which is becoming started cleaning tables at a Greek famous Shrine Auditorium a rival to the major Hollywood BRADLEY COOPER restaurant in Philadelphia.” ➤

April-June 2020 Upward Curve 17 would prepare the most stunning and flattering but I feel more cheesecake and the most embarrassed by the attention rather unforgettable and delicious ravioli. than basking in it and trying to relish Those were the kinds of dishes that my fame. I’m pretty grounded and inspired my love of cooking and also I don’t allow myself the luxury of wanting to know how to prepare feeling that much more important food myself. Cooking has always simply because I’ve reached been a big part of my life!” a certain level as an actor.” In his private life, Cooper Bradley credits his late father has enjoyed several high-profile Charles Cooper, who died from lung romances with a string of beautiful cancer in 2011, with having instilled actresses including Jennifer in him a desire to excel in life. Esposito, Isabella Brewster, Renée “When he took the last breath Zellweger, , and Zoe I honestly felt like it went into me, Saldana. For the past four years, and I’ve never seen anything the however, he has been living with same since... [I became] stronger, Russian supermodel more open, more willing to fail with whom he has a three-year- because of him. It changed the way old daughter, Lea de Seine. Their I was as an actor by, like, the next relationship dissolved late last year day, and I just started to live my life amid lingering controversy following in a different way.” Cooper and Lady Gaga’s romantic Cooper also hinted that duet at the 2019 Oscar ceremonies. there are moments when he Cooper is well aware of the looks at his daughter Lea and has dangers inherent in celebrity, the impression that his father’s and following the sex symbol tag spirit has passed on to her: “I see that has followed him around for my father in her quite often,” most of the past decade, he has he said. tried to avoid letting his private life “I can’t believe I’m going to overshadow his desire to make admit this, but I had moments movies that will stand the test when… I was just in the room with of time. “It can be very pleasant her I would just say ‘Dad?’” ■

“Then, at 18, just before I started revolved around what we are going at college I was working as a prep to eat, what we have just eaten, cook at an Italian seafood restaurant and what we are going to put in the in Somers Point, New Jersey. freezer to eat tomorrow. “At our house the kitchen was “My mother made this incredible the centre of activity. I spent a lot roast beef and my grandmother of time watching my Italian mother and grandmother prepare these Above: Cooper and Irina Shayk incredible dishes. I grew up in just before they ended their a world where everything was based four-year relationship Right: on food and our conversations With Gerard Butler in 2010

18 Upward Curve April-June 2020

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