Bradley Cooper’s stellar record of 12 Oscar nominations has cemented his status as one of Hollywood’s elite. But despite being constantly praised for his exceptional work, he is one of the most nominated people in Oscar history without having received a single victory.
Apparently, he is not able to capitalize on any of his three Oscar nominations this year for writing, producing, and acting in the Leonard Bernstein biopic, Maestro. This means he has now dropped close to a record-breaking twelve nominations over the course of his career. It appears that he has joined a Hollywood unlucky club, as his acting career has soured with an unfair zero Oscar wins despite 12 nominations.
The Oscars’ Unsung Hero: Bradley Cooper’s 12 Nominations and 0 wins
Bradley Cooper has repeatedly proven that he’s a powerful figure in the film industry. Evidently, he is an exceptionally gifted actor based on his amazing performances and work in front of the camera. Nevertheless, despite his extensive resume of achievements and nominations, he has yet to claim the title of Oscar winner.
The actor’s portrayal of famed composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein in the biographical romantic drama Maestro earned him three nominations for the 96th Academy Awards. Cooper not only starred in the film, but he also co-wrote, co-produced, and directed it. But in the end, his efforts are in vain because he is not awarded in any of the above mentioned category.
With a staggering 12 nominations under his belt (throughout his career), Cooper has made it onto the list of most-nominated people without a win in Oscar history. Several of his movies have received Oscars; Jennifer Lawrence’s win for Best Actress in Silver Linings Playbook at the 2013 ceremony is one example. Unfortunately, despite having an impressive filmography and appearing in several critically acclaimed projects, Cooper himself has not yet received recognition for his hard work.
His status in this ‘unlucky Hollywood club’ only gets stronger with every year that goes by without a win. Alas, the coveted golden statue has yet to be bestowed upon him.
Bradley Cooper Could Not Win the Best Actor Oscar for Maestro
In the 96th Academy Awards, Bradley Cooper was nominated for Best Actor alongside notable actors such as Colman Domingo (Bayard Rustin in Rustin), Paul Giamatti (Paul Hunham in The Holdovers), Cillian Murphy (J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer), and Jeffrey Wright (Thelonious Ellison in American Fiction). Given the intense competition, it makes sense that Cooper is unable to race ahead of the stars who were nominated.
In addition to losing to more accomplished actors in the Best Actor category, Cooper’s portrayal of Leonard Bernstein in Maestro was far from his finest. The actor would have won an Oscar before Maestro because of the numerous other noteworthy roles he has played, such as Gary Valentine in Licorice Pizza. That being said, he loses a lot of Oscars because every year, there is someone who performs better than him.
For the unversed, Maestro was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Cooper), and Best Actress (Carey Mulligan).
Stream Maestro on Netflix!
