Bradley Cooper spent nearly six years preparing for the role of American composer and conductor, Leonard Bernstein, in the biopic Maestro. Cooper took on multiple roles in the film, serving as director, writer, and producer. The Hangover actor revealed that his increased involvement in the film granted him a freedom not often experienced in his other starring ventures.
Cooper explained that having greater responsibility for the success or failure of the film proved to be liberating as an artist. Maestro had a limited theatrical release for a week, during which it garnered praises from critics, particularly for the performances of Cooper and Carey Mulligan. Mulligan played Bernstein’s wife Felicia Montealegre in the film.
Bradley Cooper’s Greater Responsibility In Maestro Proved Liberating
Bradley Cooper engaged in a deep conversation with his friend and actress Emma Stone, during on Variety’s Actors on Actors series. Both actors recently starred in the critically acclaimed films, Maestro and Poor Things. Cooper watched Stone’s Poor Things, and Stone attended a private screening of Cooper’s Maestro at his home. The two actors had nothing but praise for each other’s work.
While discussing the films, the Easy A actress shared that she couldn’t imagine how the Guardians of the Galaxy actor handled the different duties in his movie. Maestro was Cooper’s second directorial venture, which he co-wrote and co-produced. However, the Wedding Crashers actor shared that the added responsibility was more liberating.
Cooper revealed that if the film were to fail, he was not answerable to anybody. He admitted that it was also a huge burden but shared that the experience changed him as an artist. The Limitless actor also shared that Maestro would remain close to his heart for the rest of his life. Cooper shared with Stone on Variety:
“But I knew that if ‘Maestro’ was going to mess up, it was all on me. I was not beholden to anybody else. There was a freedom in that, as well as a huge burden. But that’s why this kind of thing to me feels completely different. I’ll carry it with me the rest of my life. It has changed who I am as an artist.”
Bradley Cooper committed to Maestro in 2017, the same year Emma Stone confirmed her second collaboration with Yorgos Lanthimos in Poor Things.
Emma Stone Was An Absolute Wreck While Watching Maestro
Emma Stone brought her mother to Cooper’s house to watch a cut of Maestro. The Amazing Spider-Man actress revealed that both she and her mother became emotional midway through the film. She shared that The A-Team actor’s performance was so impactful that she was also in awe throughout the movie. She particularly noted the scene where Cooper conducted, mentioning that she got chills watching the scene. Stone shared:
“My mother and I were an absolute wreck by the middle of the film, and so in awe of what you were doing, what Carey was doing, your direction. That conducting scene, which I was in full body chills for [six minutes]. Insane. It felt like I was watching a true conductor, a master at work.”
Cooper revealed that the first day of filming the scene didn’t work out well. They were not supposed to shoot the scene the next day, but Cooper’s instinct urged him to film it that day. He called in the entire crew and started filming the scene after a prayer to Leonard Bernstein. Cooper shot the scene in its entire six minutes without any cuts, and this shot made it to the final film.
Poor Things is running in theaters now, while Maestro will be available for streaming on Netflix from December 20.
