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Bradley Cooper says the Oscars are ‘utterly meaningless’

Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga received critical acclaim for A Star Is Born (Image by Warner Bros)
Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga received critical acclaim for A Star Is Born (Image by Warner Bros)

Bradley Cooper has opened up about his experiences during awards season with A Star Is Born, admitting that he found the pursuit of accolades “a real test.”

Cooper said as much during a recent in-depth conversation he had with Hamilton actor Anthony Ramos for Interview Magazine.

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Ramos, who also just so happened to feature in A Star Is Born, too, started this discussion by noting how, during this time, it becomes so easy “to make it about individual people.” This is completely at odds with the attitude during production, though.

“On set, you have your call sheet, and even though you have your leads, it’s a team effort. The grips, the director of photography—that movie is not happening without them. Everyone is the star of that movie.”

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 27:  (L-R) Anthony Ramos, Lady Gaga, and Bradley Cooper speak onstage during the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 27, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. 480493  (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Turner)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 27: (L-R) Anthony Ramos, Lady Gaga, and Bradley Cooper speak onstage during the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 27, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. 480493 (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Turner)

“For whatever reason, we choose to single people out at a certain time of year. And if you’re ever asked to be a part of any of those events, it can be very easy for you, meaning me, to think, ‘It’s about me. I’m the only one here from my cast, so it’s only me’.”

Cooper, who was nominated in the Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay categories for A Star Is Born, then became candid about his own struggles during the awards season push for his acclaimed romantic drama.

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“That awards season stuff is a real test. It’s set up to foster that mentality. It’s quite a thing to work through, and it’s completely devoid of artistic creation. It’s not why you sacrifice everything to create art, and yet you spend so much time being a part of it if you’re, in quotes, ‘lucky enough to be a part of it.’”

However, Cooper says that he did learn some valuable lessons from this experience, and the other three occasions that he was nominated for his performances in Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and American Sniper.

“It’s ultimately a great thing because it really does make you face ego, vanity, and insecurity. It’s very interesting and utterly meaningless.”