SBIFF: Bradley Cooper, Man About Town
BRADLEY COOPER WAS RECENTLY IN TOWN TO FIELD A Q & A for the Santa Barbara International Film festival’s Cinema Society series, along with his Maestro co-star Carrie Mulligan. There was a noted visible and present chemistry between to two actors in real life, which has translated well to the screen in Maestro, a fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein.
A love letter from Bradley Cooper to life and art, Maestro has become a front runner in Oscar season, garnering numerous nominations and critical praise. So, it is no wonder he will be back to receive the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award on February 8th, as part of the 39th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The Outstanding Performer of the Year Award recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves with exceptional performances in film this past year. This event, reflecting the success of Cooper’s rising stardom, is sold out.
In a recent interview with NPR, Bradley described his fascination with music conductors as a child. That, with a baton in his hand, he felt like a wizard. “There was something magical about being able to physically move to a rhythm. And then, in my imagination, [to] be able to perceive that I was actually harnessing and commanding that music. I mean, it was really like a magic trick, every time,” he explained.
Considering Cooper first got notice in The Hangover trilogy, he has moved far past sophomoric comedies about drinking and partying and into more nuanced fare. While many actors hang a shingle out with a vanity production company, Cooper is taking the work seriously.
Adding filmmaker, writer, and producer to his resume, Cooper is not only an Oscar nominee but also a Grammy winner and Tony nominee. His directorial debut, A Star is Born, which he co-wrote, produced, starred in, and directed, placed Cooper front and center as a multi-hyphenate in Hollywood. Following the success of his producorial work, Cooper started his production company Lea Pictures in 2020, which produced Maestro.
“Nine-time Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper has proven to be an actor of incredible range and versatility,” SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling noted. “What has impressed me the most is that he has grown to be one of the most indelible directing voices. He’s a renaissance man — an outstanding performer indeed!”
