Bradley Cooper Got Help Becoming Sober From A Surprising Comedian
Bradley Cooper had a long road to sobriety and gives all the credit to an unlikely gravel-voiced comedian friend.
This article is more than 2 years old
Bradley Cooper recently appeared on the SmartLess podcast to dish on his career and struggles in Hollywood. The podcast is hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett, who Bradley actually ends up crediting with his decision to get sober. He tells Arnett as much on the podcast, in a touching moment where Cooper recounts a situation where Arnett confronted him during his addiction days, giving him a wake-up call of sorts.
In the podcast, Bradley Cooper talks about how he was insecure when he first started out in the industry, leading him to emulate mean-spirited comedians he looked up to. This, combined with his cocaine addiction, apparently caused him to have off-putting behavior at a dinner party hosted by Arnett. The next day Arnett told Cooper that he was “a real asshole” at the party and that he hadn’t let his dogs out yet, even though it was 4 pm. Cooper fully credits Arnett as the reason that he started his journey to recovery. Arnett, who has also been open about his past with recovery, praised Cooper for being in a great place and being confident with who he is.
Of course, Bradley Cooper’s appearance on the podcast wasn’t this emotionally charged throughout the interview. There were definitely lighter moments to be had, including his experiences with fatherhood. He also talked about some uncomfortable encounters he had with others in the industry at Oscars parties. Although the offenders are unnamed by Cooper, he recounts a time when a director questioned a world where Cooper had seven Oscar nominations and a fellow actress only had three. Another instance was when an actress told Cooper he deserved the Oscar nom, emphasis on the nom, implying that he didn’t deserve to win.
Bradley Cooper also talked about an upcoming project he’s excited about — the Netflix movie Maestro. In the film, Cooper is starring as composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. Cooper is taking on triple-duty in this film, as he’s also directing the script he co-wrote with Josh Singer. The film will also star Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer, Jeremy Strong, Scott Ellis, Sarah Silverman, and Maya Hawke. According to Cooper, it will be focusing on the Berstein family and his relationship with his wife Felicia Montealegre. Of course, music will also play a prominent role. This isn’t new to Cooper, as he also made the most recent iteration of A Star is Born, where music played a role but wasn’t the sole focus of the story.
Overall, Bradley Cooper’s appearance on the SmartLess podcast was enlightening and gave us a lot of insight into the actor, director, and writer. It won’t be too long until we get to see (hear) Cooper in another project, as Rocket Racoon is set to appear in Thor: Love and Thunder. Cooper has provided the voice for the Guardians of the Galaxy member since the original. He’ll also be reprising the role in the upcoming Christmas special and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters on July 8.
