FINALLY GO PUBLIC!
Bradley & Gaga
The A Star Is Born co-stars’ relationship takes a new turn after months of intimacy on-screen and off
In the days leading up to their performance of “Shallow” at the Oscars, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper have been holed up together practicing. “Bradley’s beyond nervous about being watched by millions as he sings live,” explains a source. “He doesn’t know how he would cope without Gaga. Bradley has really leaned on her to get over his stage fright and now they’re closer than ever.”
So close, in fact, that the pair’s onstage duet may not be the only surprise in store at the Academy Awards on Feb. 24. On Feb. 10, Gaga showed up to the Grammy Awards in LA minus her pink engagement ring from fiancé Christian Carino — and Hollywood’s buzzing that she gave the bauble back to take her friendship with A Star Is Born lead- ing man Bradley to the next level. “Rumors have been swirling for months that Gaga and Bradley are totally into each other,” dishes the source to Life & Style. “They’ve continued to be affectionate at events and talk about how much they adore each other — it wouldn’t be surprising if they walk down the red carpet holding hands at the Oscars!”
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
After more than two years of making and promoting A Star Is Born together, the “instant chemistry” Gaga says they felt when they met has turned into something far more intense. And fans got a glimpse of just how intense during the singer’s Enigma Las Vegas residency on Jan. 26. Although a source close to Bradley says there’s “zero truth” to Life & Style’s story, when the actor joined Gaga onstage to deliver a surprise rendition of “Shallow,” the performance’s long stares and embraces felt incredibly intimate. “It raised eyebrows with everyone I know who saw it,” says an insider — noting that Christian, 50, and Bradley’s girlfriend, model Irina Shayk, 33, were especially “flabbergasted.” “Irina watched the video over and over, obsessing about how Bradley lost himself in the moment. It was super uncomfortable to watch.”
For months, Irina has had no choice but to sit back and watch as her beau, 44, and Gaga, 32, fawned over each other. But after seeing the Vegas vid, the model — who gave birth to Bradley’s daughter, Lea, in 2017 — had
had enough. “Irina was furious, and told him so,” reveals the insider. “She said if that was acting, then he definitely deserved an Oscar. But Bradley denied any wrongdoing.”
Gaga has been unapologetic about their behavior too. “She tells everyone, including Irina and Christian, that fate brought her and Bradley together,” says the insider. “Irina doesn’t trust Gaga and while she wants to give Bradley the benefit of the doubt, she says actions matter and Bradley’s are very suspect.”
EXPRESSIONS OF LOVE
When Bradley and Gaga speak about one another, it’s often as if they’re describing a lover, not a colleague. At the Venice Film Festival in August, Brad-
ley admitted that while working with Gaga, he “fell in love with her face and eyes.” A few weeks later, he gushed, “I love her so deeply. It’s because we were at our most vulnerable together.” When Gaga — who first bonded with Bradley over their shared East Coast Italian-american backgrounds — won a Golden Globe for “Shallow” in January, she didn’t hesitate to respond in kind, telling him straight- up, “Bradley, I love you.” No matter how much success their film enjoys, Bradley has made it clear that Gaga trumps all. “The thing that I think I’ll take away forever is the relationship I have with her, because she is an incredible person,” he’s said. And when Bradley was snubbed in the Oscar best director category? Gaga quickly defended him, insisting, “He knows that he’s the best director in my eyes.”
In Christian’s eyes, it’s all just been too much. “In the back of his mind, he can’t stop questioning whether Gaga has always had a thing for Bradley. The problem is, it’s in her nature to be over-the-top and affectionate and Christian knows that,” explains the source. It hasn’t helped that as Gaga laid it on thicker and thicker for Bradley all awards season long, she also put distance between herself and her love of two years. “She’s refused to have her photo taken with Christian at some events, but happily smiled for the cameras with Bradley,” adds a second insider. “You can tell that it really annoys Christian, and he feels pushed out.”
NO TURNING BACK
He may have been pushed out permanently. While Gaga’s dad, Joe Germanotta, tells Life & Style of breakup chatter, “I really can’t comment,” a friend says the restaurateur wouldn’t be too upset if Gaga split from Christian. “Joe thinks Christian’s a jerk!” notes the friend. “He says he won’t be going to their wedding.” Seemingly no one will. Split rumors went into overdrive when Christian was a no-show at the Grammys. When Gaga accepted the award for best pop duo/group performance for “Shallow,” the singer didn’t thank her fiancé in her speech, though
she did lament, “I wish Bradley was here.” ( Bradley was accepting an award for “Shallow” in London on the same night.) Then she let loose in lingerie during Dj-songwriter Mark Ronson’s afterparty. “She was wild, drinking champagne from the bottle, smoking cigarettes, no engagement ring, acting single,” says an eyewitness. That signaled to pals that Gaga was indeed single again. But if Irina were out of the picture, says the insider, she’d jump at the chance to couple up with Bradley. “Timing is everything,” adds the insider. “Gaga and Bradley would definitely be the ultimate Hollywood power couple. They have major chemistry, onscreen and off, there’s no denying that.”