Once upon a time, Bradley Cooper starred in an ill-fated Fox series about Anthony Bourdain's early days in the kitchen. It was called Kitchen Confidential and it lasted 13 episodes. The guy who shared the screen with Jennifer Garner for a little while in Alias couldn't break out on the small screen, so was the big screen even a possibility?
Flash forward twelve years and Cooper is the co-writer, producer, director, star, and song writer for the sure-fire Oscar contender, A Star Is Born. How did the actor pull it off? Long before he remade a classic story, Cooper had to remake his own career.
It started off playing guys named Sack, the bane of Vince Vaughn's existence in Wedding Crashers, and Matthew McConaughey's best friend, Demo, in Failure to Launch. The Bourdain role and Alias supporting role followed, and then more best friend roles like Peter in Jim Carrey's Yes Man came afterwards. Cooper was stuck in Hollywood neutral, getting work without making a real dent.
And then Todd Phillips called. The Old School director had a role that carried flavors of Sack, Demo, and Peter while giving Cooper a larger role to play and more space to stretch. The raucous comedy, The Hangover, was a huge hit, spawning two sequels and putting Cooper on the map as someone to consider.
However, it was 2011's Limitless where the actor truly took off. Neil Burger's unconventional thriller about a blocked writer taking a pill to become a super-thinker who gets into trouble with drug dealers may have come off as run-of-the-mill to some, but the big picture showed a guy who had talent, charisma, and needed more meat and juice on his plate. Limitless grossed $161 million on a mere $27 million budget. Robert De Niro co-starred and befriended Cooper.
The two men would then team up with David O. Russell and create the unforgettable gem called Silver Linings Playbook. The adaptation of Matthew Quick's best selling novel provided Cooper, who was 37 years old at the time of release, the juicy role that had eluded him for over 15 years in the game. Pat Solitano, a bipolar professor who flamed out after he caught his wife cheating on him, finds himself rehabilitated when he meets the equally troubled yet gorgeous Veronica (Jennifer Lawrence, breaking out herself in an Oscar-winning performance).
The mint in Silver Lining Playbook's drink was the unconventional romance that blossomed without sacrificing the profane nature of the story. De Niro played Pat's dad, a neurotic gambler who yearns for his son's attention. It was a welcome return to form for the coasting legend, and he formed an easy-to-love chemistry with Cooper. You didn't have to think too hard to buy them as tortured men leaning on each other for survival. The movie grossed $236 million on a slim $21 million budget, and brought in Oscar-flavored accolades for the cast, including a nomination for Cooper.
Four box office hits and an Oscar nomination weren't enough, because the dream team of Russell-Cooper-Lawrence-De Niro got back together for American Hustle, which made $241 million on a $40 million budget, and brought more Oscar nominations to the group. While he was once a doomed television co-star, Cooper was now bona fide gold.
A quiet yet potent role in A Place Beyond The Pines padded his resume, but then a key part in a small Marvel joint called Guardians of the Galaxy turned into something extremely lucrative for the actor. Don't underestimate the voice work Cooper lends Rocket Racoon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, because without his comic timing and hilarity, the films would be extremely heavy. Cooper's voice is completely disguised under the scratchy lurch of the tiny anti-hero's vocals. It's a nice touch.
And then he met a guy named Clint. Cooper teamed up with Eastwood for American Sniper, the film that detailed the legendary and bittersweet life of the military's deadliest soldier, Chris Kyle. The Navy Seal recorded over 100 kills during his time before meeting his untimely end, so Cooper had to pack on muscle and create a persona that stretched out in front of the audience as a larger-than-life being. Kyle had it all: a beautiful family, dynamic career, and a large gathering of friends. However, it all hid a lingering doubt and sadness about the man that he struggled with until his last day. Cooper found a way to channel that rage and went back to the Oscars, where I think he should have won.
In addition to the Oscars, the film made $547 million worldwide on a $58 million budget. It was hit after hit for Cooper, who would go on to craft indelible performances in John Wells' Burnt and Russell's Joy before taking on a mighty endeavor in A Star Is Born.
Years ago, Eastwood reportedly wanted to do the film with Cooper, but the actor refused, citing a young age as a reason to stay away from the material. In Cooper's mind, he was too young to play the lead. A few years later, it was time.
This is where it gets wild. Cooper could have let Eastwood direct the film, but instead he fought his filmmaking friend for the rights. The actor won out, and set out on making the film his way. Crafted from an image he had while at a concert, Cooper knew how he wanted to start the film. Remember, this is the guy who once played a guy named Sack who sacked Vaughn on a football field. Amazing.
All Cooper has known for the past 12 years is bold strokes. Instead of waiting for Beyonce to co-star with him in the remake, Cooper tapped Lady Gaga, a superstar musician with some acting experience. The studio said no. Cooper insisted though, and Gaga was cast.
A call to Willie Nelson's son Lukas and Jason Isbell later, and the rest is history. Cooper didn't just co-write the script, make his directorial debut, produce, and star. He helped co-write the music, lyrics, and learned how to sing and play guitar for the role of Jackson Maine. It was THREE YEARS of hard work, and you can feel it in Cooper's lived-in performance. Not bad for a former drug addict.
That's right, Cooper is 13 years sober from substance abuse. When he got clean, his career took off. Sometimes, guys need a little push to get things right. No one saw Cooper becoming this good.
Tell me what other actor can convincingly play a bipolar professor, legendary sniper, world class chef, and country rock star? I'll keep going while you check that out.
Let me save you some time. No other actors could do it. I don't even think Daniel Day Lewis could pull it off. Cooper has become a marvel not only in the comic book realm, but in the filmmaking and acting department. Like Leonardo DiCaprio, he found the right filmmaking buddies to play with, and has become one of Hollywood's best and most reliable thespians.
Let's put it this way. He could find himself nominated for acting, writing, directing, and singing this January. The man has always had charisma to spare, but this depth is something else. He could have coasted on movie star looks for another ten years, but Cooper is after something more important: a legacy built on good work and deep performances, or at least as deep as Jackson's lowly growl in the actor's latest.
Before 2018 closes out, he will rejoin Eastwood as an FBI agent hot on the ageless actor's trail in The Mule. Next May, he will reprise his role as Rocket in Avengers 4. There are three other films on the docket after that, and I can promise you they all should be great.
Cooper can't miss these days. Solid work for a guy who got his start on an HBO show called Sex and The City 20 years ago.
