Bradley Cooper
50th birthday: January 5, 2025
“You 50?”
Amy Schumer told a story recently about running into Bradley Cooper, who said, “You know, I turned 50 this year . . .”
Then he asked, “You 50?”
Amy was understandably caught off-guard since she’s 43. She was like, uh, yeah, like, whatever, I will be 50 . . . I’m not 50 yet!
Fifty is such a milestone. It’s a club that we are all lucky to join if we make it — and it’s also quite a ride. I can relate to both sides of this conversation. Like Amy, I don’t think I could even conceive of turning 50 until maybe the past year or so. It seemed so . . . old.
But like Bradley, I am about to go through that portal whether I believe it or not. And most of all, this story makes me wish someone would ask me, “You 50?” so I could say, “You’re damn right I am!”
“there are deep waves behind those baby blues”
Bradley first caught my attention as the perfectly named “Sack Lodge” in Wedding Crashers. At the time, Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn were definitely the box office draws so it was no small feat to bring enough energy to shine on screen next to them.
Sack is so utterly despicable that you wonder what Rachel McAdams’s Claire ever saw in the dude. But even as he demeans her for the “psychobabble her mom told” her about vulnerability, what he doesn’t realize is that he is showing more about his true state of mind by what he’s not willing to say and do than by what he is. Sack only reveals his weakness when he acts strong.
I think making hidden feelings visible is one of Bradley’s specialties. He churns under the surface. And even though it’s what his characters resist the most, when his vulnerability cracks through, there are deep waves behind those baby blues.
“she’s married to the perfect guy, right? . . . RIGHT?”
If you asked me to describe my nightmare marriage scenario, I would say to look no further than Ben in He’s Just Not that Into You.
Jennifer Connelly as Janine has got it goin’ on: She’s hot; she has a job and a great house; and she’s married to the perfect guy, right? . . . RIGHT?
Bradley is so charming as Ben that you definitely can see why Janine fell in love with him. And then we go along for the ride as Scarlett Johannson’s Anna falls in love with him too. For a while we are kind of rooting for them, not gonna lie. Ben and Anna are a darn cute couple.
But then our hearts are broken along with Anna’s as he’s shoving her into the closet and well . . . all I can say is: Gross.
The thing about Bradley’s Ben is that he is still somehow likable, even after that, but he’s not lovable anymore. Something about Ben’s story rings very true to me.
Infidelity is often portrayed in a sexy way, but here it is just heartbreaking all around, which seems more accurate.
“Black it up, Pat! ”
In an interview about Silver Linings Playbook, Bradley said one of the biggest challenges was playing a character so like himself: They’re both from Philly, both Italian-Irish, both huge Eagles fans.
It’s one thing when the character is someone very different, but how would he cry onscreen as essentially himself?
Bradley answers that call in this role, and his co-stars are equally raw and endearing: Jennifer, oh Jennifer, Lawrence is just a dream as Tiffany Maxwell. Robert DeNiro embodies the heart of the ever-believing, ever-devoted sports fan dad, Pat Sr., and just looking at Jacki Weaver as Dolores Solitano is enough to make me burst into tears. Julia Stiles is radiant and somehow so at home as Veronica. And Chris Tucker is funny as ever as Danny (“Black it up, Pat!”).
It’s been a while since I watched this one, but seeing the trailer reminds me of its sweetness and sincerity. These characters are a real slice of life, and it’s a lovely, volatile, chaotic, funny, cathartic slice.
This movie also spawned more collabs between Bradley and Jennifer Lawrence (which I’m there for), including American Hustle, which is worth seeing not only for the story but also for the costumes and the sets. Bradley was an executive producer on both Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle — two very different movies that portray their worlds equally vividly.
“ . . . when he’s ready to heal, we’re ready to let him.”
In Burnt, Bradley plays Adam Jones, a talented but surly chef who trained at the best restaurant in Paris only to lose it all due to youthful arrogance and ambition.
As penance, he goes to New Orleans where he vows to shuck a million oysters. We meet him just as he’s achieving that goal and then follow him to London where he hunts down the ghosts from his past and revives his dream of earning a third Michelin star.
The cast is phenomenal: Daniel Bruhl as Tony, Matthew Rhys as Montgomery Reese, Emma Thompson as Adam’s drug tester/pseudo therapist, Uma Thurman in a small but convincing role as a restaurant critic, Alicia Vikander as Adam’s old flame.
Sienna Miller is understatedly beautiful as Helene, the reluctant saucier Adam poaches from another restaurant. I recently saw the movie Factory Girl in which Sienna plays Edie Sedgwick, and I’m convinced she’s been underused as an actress. Her portrayal of Helene is totally believable.
For this movie, the actors trained with real-life hothead chef Gordon Ramsay. Adam’s rage is hard to watch, but just as in The Bear, the yelling and arguing are the culture of the kitchen. Bradley portrays the deep pain behind it: We know there is a loving heart in there, so when he’s ready to heal, we’re ready to let him.
Bradley Cooper Watchlist
As with any of my watchlists, these selections are made purely on the basis of what connected with me. Sometimes they are the “best” movies and TV shows on the subject, but more often it’s just that these are what stuck with me.
The Top 5 are presented in order of my favorites, the ones I would take with me to a desert island.
Other Watching is in chronological order, and sometimes I may not even have seen it. I just think it sounds interesting, or it tells a bit more of the story about this person or topic.
Bradley Cooper Top 5
Wedding Crashers (2005) — Sack Lodge
He’s Just Not That Into You (2009) — Ben
Silver Linings Playbook (2012) — Pat — *Executive Producer
Burnt (2015) — Adam Jones
American Hustle (2013) — Richie DiMaso — *Executive producer
Bradley Cooper Other Watching
Sex and the City (1999) — Jake
Wet Hot American Summer (2001) — Ben
Alias (2001—2006) — Will Tippin
Bending all the Rules (2002) — Jeff
I Want to Marry Ryan Banks (2004) — Todd Doherty
Kitchen Confidential (2005) — Jack Bourdain
Law & Order (2005) — Defense Attorney Jason Whitaker
Failure to Launch (2006) — Demo
The Hangover (2009) — Phil
All About Steve (2009) — Steve
The Words (2012) — Rory Jansen
The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) — Avery
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) — Rocket
American Sniper (2014) — Chris Kyle — *Producer
A Star is Born (2018) — Jack — *Producer
Joker (2019) — No acting credit — *Producer
Maestro (2023) — Leonard Bernstein — *Producer
Abbott Elementary (2024) — Bradley Cooper
Righteous Gemstones (2025) — Elijah Gemstone
