The 'A Star Is Born' actor/director transforms into the late awards-winning conductor for the upcoming Netflix biopic, which is produced by Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Todd Phillips.
- May 31, 2022
AceShowbiz - Bradley Cooper completely transforms into Leonard Bernstein in first-look images from Netflix's biopic "Maestro". The Academy Award-nominated actor is unrecognizable as he turns into the legendary Broadway composer.
The first-look photos were shared by Netflix on Monday, May 30. The snaps feature the 47-year-old as Bernstein at various ages, including an elderly Bernstein with white hair. Rocking a pair of glasses, he is seen holding a cigarette.
Three other photos, which are in black and white, feature Cooper with his co-star Carey Mulligan, who portrays Bernstein's wife Felicia Montealegre. The images appear to depict the pair's love story at Bernstein's younger year.
In addition to starring, Cooper serves as writer and director for "Maestro", with Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Todd Phillips among the producers. Spielberg was originally attached to direct the biographical drama and recruited Cooper to star in it. Coming off "A Star Is Born", his successful directorial debut at the time, the "Silver Linings Playbook" star was more interested in writing and directing movies than taking on an acting role for someone else, even Spielberg.
"I [told Spielberg], 'I always felt like I could play a conductor, but may I research the material and see if I can write it and direct it? Would you let me do that?' " Cooper said to Mahershala Ali as part of Variety's "Actors on Actors" series. "Steven has a lot of interests - he'll just choose one thing and all of the other things will be on hold. I think he knew he wasn't going to make that movie for a while. He was kind enough to hand it off to me, and that’s what I've been doing for the last four and a half years."
Production for the movie began in May, while the film isn't expected to arrive until 2023. Jeremy Strong stars as art critic John Gruen, with Maya Hawke portraying Bernstein's writer and filmmaker daughter Jamie Bernstein, and Matthew Bomer also joining the cast.
