The Truth About Bradley Cooper And Jennifer Garner's Relationship
Could it be? Are Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Garner...an item? The romance speculation kicked off when the two — who had noticeable chemistry when they worked on the series Alias from 2001 to 2006 — met up for a beach outing in Malibu, Calif., on Aug. 5, 2020. In photos published by TMZ, Cooper and Garner are spotted laughing and honing their sandcastle skills alongside a little girl presumed to be Cooper's 3-year-old daughter, Lea De Seine.
Cooper and Garner, who have maintained a close friendship since Alias, per the Daily Mail, are also both single. Yes, on Aug. 6, 2020, a source told In Touch Weekly that Garner and her boyfriend of two years, John Miller, have called it quits. "They split up before L.A. went into lockdown," the source said. Miller was Garner's first publicized relationship after separating in 2015 from Ben Affleck, with whom she has three children.
Meanwhile, Cooper is currently single as well. The A Star Is Born director split from Irina Shayk, model and mother to Lea De Seine, in June 2019 after four years together, per The Blast.
So are Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Garner forming a connection amid the COVID-19 pandemic, or are they just pals? Let's take a closer look at their history.
Jennifer Garner and Bradley Cooper's friendship runs deep
So, are Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Garner dating? "[Cooper and Garner] are friends and have been forever," a source told Page Six, adding that there is "no truth to anything else."
The pair indeed have a history of close friendship. Cooper was one of Garner's first pals in Hollywood, which she acknowledged during her speech at the American Cinematheque Awards in 2018. "I took him home and made him dinner... I'm still making him dinner," she joked about their early days, per Entertainment Tonight. "Bradley, what's happening to you now is a pure joy to those who know you, especially to those of us who've known you from the start."
She added about the successful actor and director, "It turns out you weren't just handsome all along. You were also a wonder, and you are welcome at my table anytime." Aw!
Garner and Coper also teamed up in 2019 to help a woman create her dream home, and three years before that, they attended a Versace fashion show together. See? These two are tight!
As for whether they've ever hooked up during their long friendship, TMZ noted, "There were rumors during their Alias days that costars Bradley and Jen may have been a thing, but it never materialized ... at least not publicly."
We'll definitely keep our eyes on these two, as we already have our couple name picked out (Bradifer, anyone?).
The two have undeniable chemistry
If you've watched Jennifer Garner and Bradley Cooper on episodes of Alias, then you know the pair have some great on-screen chemistry. But their connection was obvious even when the cameras weren't rolling. As seen in a 2006 interview on Access Hollywood, Cooper and Garner's chemistry is undeniable. In fact, not only do they finish each other's sentences and laugh at each other's jokes, but there's something in the way they look at one another. "[Working with Cooper is] fine, but every few takes, we have to just stop, because things get so big and ridiculous," Garner teased in the video. "Because I'm working with you."
Later on in the interview, the actors also make a joke about "making out" in between takes before Garner refers to Cooper as the "Brad Pitt of Alias" and explains how happy she is to work with him. At one point, she even lovingly puts her arm around him and he puts his hand on her knee.
After Alias wrapped in 2006, the pair shared the screen in 2010 when they both appeared in the star-studded romantic comedy Valentine's Day. Though they haven't worked together since, Garner and Cooper always made sure to support one another.
Their friendship could turn into something more
Despite being in serious relationships with other people, Jennifer Garner and Bradley Cooper stayed close over the years. In 2019, the actress publicly expressed how proud she was of the actor, as well as wished him luck at the Golden Globes, during a sweet birthday tribute posted to Instagram. "I taught him everything he knows," she wrote at the time. "Happy Birthday, Bradley. Go get em tomorrow. We are all so proud of you." In March 2019, People also reported that Garner invited The Hangover star and his then-girlfriend Irina Shayk, along with their child and his mother Gloria, for dinner after the Oscars.
While Garner and Cooper have maintained a strictly platonic relationship for years, sources told In Touch Weekly it could turn into something more. "They've always been at ease with each other, but now it's deeper," the insider explained, adding that "this is a great time for them to be together" especially because they've been "close friends forever and have been there for each other through their ups and downs."
The source also said that although "Jen sees Bradley as a brother," that could change now that they are both single. The insider continued, "There's always a possibility that their friendship could turn into more but right now they're just friends."
Best friends, lovers, whatever they are: We ship this potential new romance.