Cooper praises Gaga in ‘A Star Is Born’
The chemistry between “A Star Is Born” director Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga was palpable during the film’s news conference at the Venice Film Festival on Friday, where the pair said they bonded over their shared Italian roots.
“I didn’t know you were Italian. I remember when we first met, after 10 minutes we were eating homemade food that she cooked and that was actually a huge bond that we both came from East Coast ItalianAmerican families. So we had a real synchronicity on that level from our upbringing,” said Cooper.
Lady Gaga said the main challenge for her in playing Ally was to show her vulnerability. Cooper helped her channel that by making her comfortable and wiping the makeup off her face completely on the first day of work. Lady Gaga said she identified with Ally’s early struggles to become a professional singer.
“When I started out in the music industry and decided to be a singer and go for a professional career, I was dragging my piano from dive bar to dive bar to get jobs,” said Lady Gaga. “They made suggestions about how I should look. I wanted to have my own vision.”
Cooper hinted that he’d be back behind the camera. “This film took four years … and if I can continue to do (what I love), then that’s what I’ll do,” Cooper said.