Everything We Know About Zoe Saldana And Bradley Cooper's Failed Relationship
Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds, and Chris Pratt and Emily VanCamp weren't the only actors who dated each other and later became a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Zoe Saldana and Bradley Cooper — who portray Gamora and Rocket in "Guardians of the Galaxy," respectively — dated for about a year, per PopSugar. The two met while filming for "The Words," and started dating from there.
"I've always said that when you watch movies and a love story falls short of what you wanted it to be, as an actor, as a person who works in films, you know that ninety percent of the time it didn't work is because there was no chemistry, they didn't work out a friendship, they didn't feel safe around each other, they weren't communicating properly," Saldana told The Hollywood Reporter in 2012. "Bradley is a very dedicated and open professional. We didn't care where the camera was. It was just like we were both part of this extensive conversation."
According to Us Weekly, the "Avatar" actor and the "A Star is Born" director's relationship saw peaks and valleys, with the couple breaking up and reconciling before ending things permanently.
Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana broke up twice
Zoe Saldana and Bradley Cooper's chemistry from "The Words" didn't seem to last. According to E! News, Cooper initiated their first breakup after just a few months of dating in 2012. "He dumped her, he just doesn't want to be in a relationship at the moment," a source told the media outlet at the time. Cooper and Saldana did find their way back to each other shortly thereafter, but an insider shared that the two actors were "having issues" following their reconciliation, so a breakup was inevitable, per Us Weekly.
"Zoe had planned to spend the holidays with Bradley and his family in Europe," a source told Page Six in January 2013. "They all were going to Paris, but things didn't work out between them." Saldana didn't let the final split affect her, though, and ended up celebrating the new year in Miami. As she was seen partying with friends, an eyewitness stated, "If Zoe was upset over the split with Bradley, she didn't show it."
While Saldana didn't directly remark on her breakup from Cooper, she seemed to throw shade at a past beau the year following their breakup. "There's a reason why you're called an ex," she told Marie Claire in 2014. "I crossed you off my list. Moving on." It's likely Cooper may not be one of the disrespectful exes on Saldana's list, though, as they participated in work obligations as exes cordially.
Zoe Saldana gained perspective from her breakup
Although Zoe Saldana and Bradley Cooper ended their relationship, the two actors both worked on Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy," as Deadline announced Cooper's voice involvement in August of 2013. According to the Daily Mail, Saldana and Cooper looked "happy" and "relaxed" on the red carpet of the Los Angeles premiere of the first movie. By that time, Saldana moved on to Marco Perego, and the two tied the knot in the summer of 2013, per Bustle.
According to Saldana, being freshly single from her Cooper breakup allowed her to find her true love. "I was finally able to spend time without being in a relationship and even though, it was a short period of time, it was beautiful," Saldana told Fashion in 2014 about their split before marrying Perego. "Where I lost that fear of being alone ... Then I met my partner when I was in really a beautiful place in my life. It was like I found all my answers with him not in him."
While the details of Cooper and Saldana's breakup were kept mostly between them, it's been speculated family played a factor.
Bradley Cooper's mother wasn't a fan of Zoe Saldana
Bradley Cooper has a very close relationship with his mother, Gloria Campano. This means that the actor's mom won't shy away from what she thinks about new women getting involved in her son's life. According to The Things, it's rumored that Cooper's split with Irina Shayk was due to his mother's disapproval. Apparently, she had some things to say about Zoe Saldana, too.
"Gloria tried to get to know Zoe when they rekindled their romance, but she still didn't think she was a good fit for [Bradley]," a source told Radar Online. The insider mentioned that Campano thought it was hard to get to know the "Avatar" star, and she asked her son if rekindling a romance for a third time was worth it. "You do have to wonder if Bradley will ever find a girl that is perfect for him and his mom!" the source added.
Despite these claims, it seems that there has been no bad blood between the two actors (and Cooper's mother). In an October 26 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Saldana expressed how "bittersweet" it was filming the last "Guardians of the Galaxy" movie, which will also star voice actor Cooper. "I'm just so happy that once again I got to work with great people," she said. "I just felt very blessed and grateful. It was a very sweet departure, I have to say."