Spotlight on Bradley Cooper & Lady Gaga’s new film
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper make magic in this musical
NOT JUST ANOTHER REMAKE Bradley Cooper makes his directorial debut with this fourth incarnation of A Star Is Born, which he also cowrote, produced and stars in.
He plays Jackson Maine, a country rock star with a drinking problem who takes a talented singer named Ally, played by Lady Gaga (real name Stefani Germanotta), under his wing.
Unlike in the previous films Jackson isn’t down on his luck due to his alcoholism. “I didn’t [want] a guy who’s envious of someone else becoming famous,” he said. “I [wanted] a real love story – two broken people find each other but can’t be fixed.” FINDING HIS ALLY Bradley says he was only vaguely aware of Lady Gaga before making the movie. But when he saw her perform he knew he wanted her to play Ally in the movie.
“I was at a cancer benefit with my mother. They had a surprise musical guest, and Stefani came out and she sang La Vie en Rose. I was blown away. I called her agent the next day and said, ‘Can I go to her house and meet her right away?’ So I drove to Malibu, and we sat on her porch, the next thing I know I’m eating spaghetti and meatballs and I said, ‘Can we sing a song together?’”
Stefani was just as taken with his voice. “When Bradley came over, he immediately felt like a kindred spirit,” she says. “We ate leftovers on my patio and started singing. When I heard how soulful his voice was, I knew the movie would work.” BIG-SCREEN DEBUT She’s a powerhouse pop queen and has graced the small screen as the Countess in American Horror Story: Hotel but this is Gaga’s first major film role.
“In a lot of ways I feel Bradley unveiled me. It was his idea to strip away the make-up, go back to my natural hair, and for that to be Ally’s character. The trust that I had in him on set [made] for a remarkable artistic experience,” she says.