Hollywood is packed with leading men but there’s only one Bradley Cooper . His love and dedication to his craft in unmatched. Time and time again, he’s proven to be an exceptional actor, producer, and director .
Were it not for Bradley, some of our favorite movies might never have gotten off the ground. Let’s give thanks and celebrate with these 10+ interesting facts about Bradley Cooper that fans didn’t know!
RELATED STORIES
1. Bradley has a true appreciation for the English language.
Bradley attended the prestigious Georgetown University, where he graduated with an Honors Degree. Some of his earliest inspirations were Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” as well as John Milton’s ” Paradise Lost .”
2. Before making it big, Bradley worked as a hotel doorman!
Bradley was working nights at the Morgans Hotel in New York City. He was still in school and was looking for something to help pay for his acting classes.
Can you imagine Bradley Cooper holding the door for you?
3. He asked to be written-off of *Alias*.
At the time, Alias was the only job Bradley had. His role was shrinking and he was becoming frustrated with the lack of growth. After speaking with the producers, Bradley got his wish.
Two weeks later, tragedy struck.
While playing a game of pickup basketball, Bradley tore his Achilles tendon.
The injury sidelined him for over a year. This was an incredibly dark and trying time for Bradley. He became addicted to Vicodin and spent his time wallowing in a pit of depression, and contemplated giving up on acting altogether.
4. He skipped his own graduation!
For good reason! Bradley had to choose between his commencement ceremony or appearing in Wet Hot American Summer !
Bradley ended up choosing the latter and from that day forward, a movie star was in the making!
5. He could have been Green Lantern!
Bradley was in the final stages of his audition for Green Lantern — he even got to try on the suit! But that’s when it all went downhill.
Cooper couldn’t help but do a Christian Bale Batman impression . He himself admits it was comically bad.
6. Bradley’s most challenging role will surprise you.
Believe it or not, Bradley found sniper and S.E.A.L. training less difficult than getting in the mindset to embody Phil from The Hangover .
According to Bradley, he found Phil so philosophically different that he barely recognized himself on screen.
7. No one has ever told him he’s too good-looking for a role.
According to Bradley, one of the challenges he had to overcome early on in his career was being “on the cusp” in the looks department.
“I’ve always fallen between the cracks of not being good-looking enough for certain roles and not odd-looking enough for other roles,” Bradley joked to The Guardian.
8. After years of struggling with drugs and alcohol, Bradley is finally sober!
According to Cooper, were it not for his “Drying out” period, he would have never become the actor he is today.
“If I continued it, I was really going to sabotage my whole life,” Cooper said bluntly to GQ .
9. His directorial debut was nominated for 8 Academy Awards!
In 2018, Bradley set his sights on remaking the film A Star is Born . It was a huge commercial and critical success that helped net Bradley 3 nominations all to his own:
Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture .
10. Bradley bulked up for his role in *American Sniper*.
It turns out that Bradley borrowed more from Christian Bale then just his Bat-voice. Cooper went full-on method and packed on an impressive 40 lbs of sheer muscle for the part.
11. His first TV appearance was on an early episode of *Sex And The City*.
There was only one problem: Bradley’s character drove stick but Bradley most definitely did not!
He had to enroll himself in a Manhattan driving school and give himself a crash course (pun intended).
12. He’s a producer as well!
Bradley puts his money where his mouth is. Over the years, he’s backed the majority of films he’s starred in (including Silver Linings Playbook and Limitless ).
He was also one of the brilliant minds behind 2019’s surprise hit, Joker .
13. James Lipton predicted Bradley’s success
You’ll most likely remember James from Inside the Actor’s Studio . After James watched Bradley perform scenes from The Elephant Man , he knew that Cooper would be a star.
He was so confident, that he even said as much to Bradley’s mother!
During an interview on *Larry King Live*, Lipton praised Bradley as his crowning achievement.
There isn’t an actor in Hollywood that James Lipton hasn’t interviewed. From Julia Roberts to Robert DeNiro — he’s seen them all.
But when James is asked what his proudest moment was or whom he was most excited to interview, his answer is always the same. Bradley Cooper.