A Star-Filled Evening with Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, and Brad Pitt

Unlike most actors who seem smaller once you see them in real life, Bradley Cooper was every bit as giant on stage at the Arlington last night as he is on the big screen. The magnitude of his versatility was one of the most striking things about the Santa Barbara International Film Festival Outstanding Performer of the Year Award celebration, moderated quite aptly by Pete Hammond of Deadline, who has been part of the festival for 22 years (before his employer even existed).

The breadth and depth of Cooper’s career roles is certainly impressive enough to call him a giant talent. The SBIFF event showcased just a small sampling of his films that included The Hangover, The Place Beyond the Pines, Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, Burnt, American Sniper, A Star Is Born, Licorice Pizza, Nightmare Alley, and of course 2023’s Maestro.

Discussing his career trajectory with Hammond, it was quite clear that Cooper is both a giant hard worker and a giant big-hearted mensch. While the blue eyes and killer grin are undoubtedly charming, I found his enthusiasm for his work and clear affection for the people he’s been able to create movies with even more mesmerizing.

While the evening’s focus was ostensibly about performance, Cooper’s passion for directing and learning everything he can from working with other directors also came through. He’s two for two right now — starring in and directing both A Star Is Born and Maestro — and spoke about how much he learned from working with directors like David O. Russell — on Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle — of which he said, “I feel like I went to film school with David O. Russell” and talked about emulating his close-up and under-the-table in the scene directing style while working on Maestro.

Working with Clint Eastwood on American Sniper was another high point Cooper discussed, saying that the set of that very intense war film would “shift from crying and laughing in the course of a day.” In addition to his other talents, Cooper does a spot-on impression of Eastwood as well as Robert De Niro (who he said encouraged him early on, but didn’t hire him).

In terms of acting versus directing, Cooper said, “I really do love being in the field as an actor and a director. It’s what’s intoxicating about it. I would also do the other, but I love acting so much. Absolutely, I would just direct. It’s … just something I love so much.” He also said that following in love with a role, with a character he wants to play is what drives him to direct.

Carey Mulligan, his co-star in Maestro (both are nominated for Academy Awards for their roles) was also a guest at the SBIFF event and echoed my own thoughts about Cooper after seeing the retrospective: “It makes me want to watch all of your films again.”

She continued her lavish praise of her experience working with Cooper: “What might be too easily taken for granted is your innate gift as an actor. I don’t think acting is a 10,000-hour skill. I don’t think you can prep or practice; that’s something else.”

Brad Pitt, a close friend of Cooper’s who has not yet worked with him on screen, presented the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award, noting that Cooper has 12 Academy Award nominations but has yet to take home the gold. “I really, really do hope that this is his year because it’s well-deserved,” said Pitt.  

Whether this is the year remains to be seen, but at age 49, it’s clear that we have a lot more to look forward to from Bradley Cooper.