
Bradley Cooper revealed on a recent episode of the “SmartLess” podcast (via IndieWire) that a famous director once mocked him for having 7 career Oscar nominations. The incident occurred at a party during Cooper’s “A Star Is Born” awards season. The music drama boosted Cooper’s Oscar nomination haul from four (three acting noms and a best picture nom as a producer on “American Sniper”) to seven (actor, original screenplay and best picture for “A Star Is Born”).
At an awards season party, Cooper met with a famous director who made a joke out of Cooper’s 7 Oscar nominations. Cooper was joined at the party by a friend, a famous actress, who had three Oscar nominations under her belt. The director told Cooper, “What world are we living in where you have 7 nominations and she’s only got three?”
Related Stories
VIP+Generative AI & Licensing: A Special Report

Best Horror Movies: Stephen King on the 'Helpless Terror' of 'Night of the Living Dead'
“I’m like, ‘Bro, why are you such an asshole?’” Cooper told the “SmartLess” podcast hosts. “I would never fucking forget that. Go fuck yourself.”
Popular on Variety
Cooper has since added two more Oscar nominations, bringing his total career haul to 9. Cooper co-produced “Joker” and “Nightmare Alley,” both of which broke into the best picture race. Unfortunately, the director’s comment was not the first time top Hollywood talent grilled Cooper’s history of nabbing Oscar nominations. The actor said a “hero female actress” once made a condescending comment to him after he picked up his first acting nomination for “Silver Linings Playbook.”
“She’s like, ‘I saw your movie. You deserve the nom,’” Cooper said. “I was like, ‘What? I’m sorry, what?’ ‘The nom.’ Then like 10 or 20 minutes later — I’m not kidding — I passed her going to the bathroom and she mouths it, ‘The nom.’ I remember [thinking], what the fuck is this town?’ Can you imagine saying that to somebody? You’ve got to be fucked up to do that.”
Cooper is widely expected to pick up even more Oscar nominations with his next directorial effort, the Netflix-backed Leonard Bernstein drama “Maestro.” Cooper is starring in the title role opposite Carey Mulligan as Bernstein’s wife Felicia Montealegre.
“There’s the movie; a movie about marriage, a movie about family. That’s it,” Cooper told the “SmartLess” podcast about his new movie. “Why is it nuclear? Because it’s this fucking music. Music is nuclear. I had a secret weapon in ‘A Star is Born.’ It was Lady Gaga. The secret weapon I have in this movie is fucking Leonard Bernstein and Gustav Mahler. The music!”
“Maestro” is not expected to be released until 2023.
Read More About:
Jump to CommentsMore from Variety

‘Santosh’ to Represent U.K. in Oscars International Feature Race

The Time Bomb Ticking Beneath the CTV Advertising Boom

Saoirse Ronan Says It Was ‘Sad’ but ‘Valid’ When Ryan Gosling Got Fired From ‘Lovely Bones’ After 60-Pound Weight Gain: ‘It’s Not Personal’

‘Emilia Pérez’ Officially Submits as Adapted Screenplay for Oscars Instead of Original, Not Eligible for WGA Awards (EXCLUSIVE)

Hollywood’s Next Superhero: Purpose-Led Branding

Why Cannes Winner ‘All We Imagine as Light’ Was Snubbed by India’s Oscar Committee in Favor of ‘Laapataa Ladies’
Most Popular
Paul Schrader Walked Out of ‘Joker 2’ After 15 Minutes to Go Buy Something, Then Returned and Could Only Last 10 Minutes: ‘A Really Bad Musical…

‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ to Lose $150 Million to $200 Million in Theatrical Run After Bombing at Box Office

Harrison Ford Says Avoiding Marvel Roles Is ‘Silly’ When MCU Films Provide ‘Good Experiences for an Audience,’ Calls the Death of Movie Stars…

Tyler Perry and DeVon Franklin's Bible-Inspired Love Story 'R&B' Sets Cast and Director

Taylor Swift to Release ‘Anthology’ Edition of ‘Tortured Poets’ on Vinyl and CD, Plus an Eras Tour Book, for Black Friday

‘I, Robot’ Director Accuses Elon Musk of Taking His Ideas for New Tesla Robot, Van and More: ‘Hey Elon, Can I Have My Designs Back Please…

Joe Locke Became Wiccan in ‘Agatha All Along’ by Using Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch Movement Coach: ‘The Way They Use Their Magic’ Is…

Jerry Seinfeld ‘Regrets’ Saying the ‘Extreme Left’ Killed Comedy: ‘It’s Not True … You Can’t Say Certain Words About Groups. So What…

The 100 Best Horror Movies of All Time

Krypto the Superdog Will Appear in James Gunn’s ‘Superman’: He’s a ‘Not-So-Good-Good-Boy’

Must Read
- Film
COVER | Sebastian Stan Tells All: Becoming Donald Trump and Starring in 2024’s Most Controversial Movie
By Andrew Wallenstein 4 weeks
- TV
Menendez Family Slams Netflix’s ‘Monsters’ as ‘Grotesque’ and ‘Riddled With Mistruths’: ‘The Character Assassination of Erik and Lyle Is Repulsive…

- TV
‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Part 2 to Air on CBS After Paramount Network Debut

- TV
50 Cent Sets Diddy Abuse Allegations Docuseries at Netflix: ‘It’s a Complex Narrative Spanning Decades’ (EXCLUSIVE)

- Shopping
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Sets Digital and Blu-ray/DVD Release Dates

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Variety Confidential
ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXN%2Bjp%2BgpaVfo7K4v46bqZqcnJrGbq%2FOqKeeql2ivKS3xJ1kqKuTlr9uus6moKeZpJ68r7%2BMamlsbWJuhXiEj2g%3D