Sketchy Things About Bradley Cooper Everyone Ignores
This article contains mention of substance abuse and addiction.
"'The Hangover' was pretty career-changing. I was 36 when that happened," Bradley Cooper once admitted during an appearance on "Running Wild with Bear Grylls," as noted by Perez Hilton. Though his career took off in 1999, the film is widely regarded as his breakout role, with critics and publications ranking it among the best performances of his career to date. In the years since the comedy film was released, Cooper has enjoyed great success, garnering several accolades and cementing himself as one of Hollywood's most successful actors. Despite his undoubtedly good run, however, Cooper has also had it bad.
Over time, the "A Star is Born" actor has been open about his past struggle with substance abuse in the early 2000s. "I was addicted to cocaine. I was totally depressed," Cooper recalled during an appearance on the "Smartless" podcast. However, after a conversation with actor Will Arnett — who called him out on his erratic behavior — Cooper decided to become sober. "Will took that risk of having that hard conversation with me in, like, July of 2004, and that put me on a path of deciding to change my life. It truly was Will Arnett. He is the reason," the actor explained. Cooper has now been sober for two decades.
But while he was able to let go of his addiction, the actor couldn't shake off his sketchy side.
Bradley Cooper was not sure he loved his daughter
On March 21, 2017, Bradley Cooper welcomed a daughter, Lea De Seine, with his then-girlfriend, Irina Shayk. Though not much was known about De Seine in her earliest years, Cooper would later open up about his role as a dad. "I mean, you learn from your predecessor's mistakes, and I'll make tons that hopefully Lea will learn from and then making and being rigorous with myself to grow. To help unburden her with any of my bull***t," the actor told "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" when asked about his approach to fatherhood.
However, before easing into his role as a dad, Cooper had a bit of a hard time. "If I'm being honest, the first eight months, I'm like, 'I don't even know if I really love the kid,'" he said. "It's dope. It's cool. I'm watching this thing morph. [I'm] fascinated by it — love taking care of it. [But] would I die if someone came in with a gun?" he explained during an appearance on the "Armchair Expert." Eventually, though, without question, Cooper knew he would do anything for his little one — even if it did mean taking a bullet.
Once he embraced fatherhood, Cooper experienced a renewal of mind that eventually led to the birth of "A Star Is Born," his 2018 movie, in which he made his directorial debut. "I guess having a child, and having a family of my own — which is a miracle and something I've always dreamt of — has opened me up even more, I guess, to the day, and to be present," he admitted to NPR in 2018.
He admitted to walking around the house naked
During his March 2024 appearance on "Armchair Expert," Bradley Cooper revealed he does not mind walking around his house naked — a habit he admittedly picked up from his late father, Charles Cooper. "My dad was always nude. [I] always took showers with him," he explained to host Dax Shepard. While sometimes the "Limitless" actor has his daughter Lea De Seine in the house, he is more than comfortable walking around the house in his birthday suit.
Though many children would rather hang out in conventionally fun places like parks and playgrounds, Shepard and Bradley's kids have a weird hobby — hanging out with their dads in the bathroom. "The girls start coming in and out. Where they sit and talk to me, like a foot away from me, and it's terrible in there," Shepard explained during the conversation. Similarly, Cooper's open-plan house with no doors means he also lacks privacy in that area of his home. "My bedroom, the bathtub, and toilet, and bed are all in the same room," Cooper explained. "It's 24/7, dude. There are no doors... The stairs go up, and it's all one floor. We talk where I'm on the toilet, she's in the bathtub; that's sort of the go-to," he shared.
Expectedly, Cooper's bizarre revelation sparked some comments from social media users who criticized the actor. "He's a bloody millionaire. Why can't he just buy some screens? Or better yet, walls?" one person questioned on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Im more and more confused and highly disturbed ..sometimes you just better shut up fr," another tweeted.
Bradley Cooper's subtle jab at Cillian Murphy
All is fair in Hollywood and award shows, but Bradley Cooper might be a sore loser. Ahead of the 2024 award season, Cooper sat down for an interview with Variety for its "Actors on Actors" series and opened up about preparing for his role as director and lead actor on the 2023 romantic drama "Maestro," a biopic chronicling the life of music composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife, Felicia Montealegre. "This wasn't like you got a call, and in six months, you're going to do it. This had to have taken years," Cooper said of the effort he put into making the film. But while Cooper might have made his comment with no ill intention, fans believe the "A Star is Born" actor was throwing jabs at Cillian Murphy, who previously admitted to preparing for his "Oppenheimer" role in six months.
"Dear Bradley Cooper. No one in this World is guilty, that Cillian Murphy has such a talent and potential to create a huge character and great performance after six months in the basement, while You need 6 years...You can sue God," one user wrote on X. "Bradley Cooper is so pressed about Cillian Murphy because Cillian got the call and transformed into Oppenheimer in only 6 months and Bradley took 6 YEARS to become Bernstein," another user tweeted.
Bradley Cooper's relationship with Gigi Hadid
With his good looks, it is hardly a shock that Bradley Cooper has been in relationships with several Hollywood belles through the years. Still, model Gigi Hadid was probably the last person fans expected to see the actor with. "It appears super casual now, but they both have kids, big careers, busy lives, and understand what life is like in these circles. It's cute ... and there is an attraction," a source told People in October 2023. By December 2023, however, things had gotten more serious between the two, with an insider confirming to People that the model had been spending a lot of time with Cooper in Philadelphia.
Though many might argue Cooper and Hadid make a great couple, their 20-year age gap has raised some eyebrows. "Bradley Cooper is 21 years older than Gigi Hadid 21? As much as I like him and he does come across as a nice guy.......sh** like this is creepy. Find someone your closer to your own age dude! You have nothing in common with her!" one person tweeted. "Bradley Cooper is 49 and is dating Gigi Hadid who is 28. I really think celebs/rich folks just don't take age into consideration when dating lol," another quipped.
Bradley Cooper alleged romance with Lady Gaga
While filming his 2018 musical, Bradley Cooper formed a close relationship with his lead co-star, Lady Gaga, who acted as his love interest in the movie. By the time the movie was released to the public, fans could not stop fawning over the pair's on-screen chemistry, leading many to speculate they were romantically involved in real life. At the time, Cooper was still in a long-term relationship with his then-girlfriend Irina Shayk, with whom he would later welcome a daughter in 2017.
Rumors of a romance between Cooper and Gaga were fueled further by the pair's chemistry as they performed "Shallow" at the 2019 Oscars. "Raise your hand if you thought Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper were about to make out," one user wrote on X. "Okay, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's performance was gorgeous. I've tried to resist the allure but god damn it. That was HOT," another user tweeted about the performance.
But while many fans are convinced that Cooper and Gaga were more than friends, the co-stars have constantly refuted dating rumors. "Just from a personal standpoint, it reduces the anxiety level. They kind of fall in love in that scene in the film. It's that explosive moment that happens to happen to them on a stage in front of thousands of people. ... It would have been so weird if we were both on stools facing the audience," Cooper told The Hollywood Reporter of his and Gaga's Oscar performance.