Bradley Cooper(I)
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Bradley Charles Cooper was born on January 5, 1975 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His mother, Gloria (Campano), is of Italian descent, and worked for a local NBC station. His father, Charles John Cooper, who was of Irish descent, was a stockbroker. Immediately after Bradley graduated from the Honors English program at Georgetown University in 1997, he moved to New York City to enroll in the Masters of Fine Arts program at the Actors Studio Drama School at New School University. There, he developed his stage work, culminating with his thesis performance as John Merrick inBernard Pomerance's "The Elephant Man", performed in New York's Circle in the Square.
While still in school, Bradley began his professional career, appearing oppositeSarah Jessica ParkeronSex and the City (1998)and on the drama seriesThe Beat (2000).His weekends were spent with LEAP (Learning through the Expanded Arts Program), a non-profit organization that teaches acting and movement to inner city school children. The summers took him all across the globe, from kayaking in British Columbia with Orca Whales to ice-climbing in the Peruvian Andes, while hosting Lonely Planet'sTreks in a Wild World (2000)for the Discovery Channel. Bradley had to miss his graduation ceremony from the Actors Studio in order to star in his first featureWet Hot American Summer (2001).After finishing his second featureBending All the Rules (2002),his plans to relocate to Los Angeles were delayed whenDarren Starhired him to star on the drama seriesThe $treet (2000).
Bradley went on to win the role of young law student Gordon Pinella inChanging Lanes (2002),starringBen AffleckandSamuel L. Jackson,and also played Travis Paterson inMy Little Eye (2002).He finally decided that it was time to forgo his other New York projects and move to Los Angeles when he was cast onAlias (2001).After supporting roles inWedding Crashers (2005),Failure to Launch (2006),The Comebacks (2007),The Rocker (2008)andYes Man (2008),Cooper broke out with major roles inHe's Just Not That Into You (2009),The Hangover (2009)andValentine's Day (2010).He co-starred in the action filmThe A-Team (2010)and headlined the thriller filmLimitless (2011).
Cooper received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor after starring oppositeJennifer LawrenceinDavid O. Russell'sSilver Linings Playbook (2012).He then received two more consecutive Oscar nominations, Best Supporting Actor for playing Richie DiMaso in Russell'sAmerican Hustle (2013)(again opposite Lawrence, though their characters shared no significant screen time), and Best Actor for playing Navy SEAL Chris Kyle inClint Eastwood'sAmerican Sniper (2014),the highest grossing film of 2014. During this time period, Cooper also reprised his role inThe Hangover Part II (2011)andThe Hangover Part III (2013),turned in another strong dramatic turn inThe Place Beyond the Pines (2012),and voiced Rocket Raccoon in the third highest grossing film of 2014,Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).
In 2015, Bradley headlined two comedies,Cameron Crowe'sAloha (2015),set in Hawaii, andJohn Wells'Burnt (2015),set in London, and starred opposite Jennifer Lawrence again in David O. Russell'sJoy (2015).
Bradley has a daughter (born 2017) with his former partner, modelIrina Shayk.
While still in school, Bradley began his professional career, appearing oppositeSarah Jessica ParkeronSex and the City (1998)and on the drama seriesThe Beat (2000).His weekends were spent with LEAP (Learning through the Expanded Arts Program), a non-profit organization that teaches acting and movement to inner city school children. The summers took him all across the globe, from kayaking in British Columbia with Orca Whales to ice-climbing in the Peruvian Andes, while hosting Lonely Planet'sTreks in a Wild World (2000)for the Discovery Channel. Bradley had to miss his graduation ceremony from the Actors Studio in order to star in his first featureWet Hot American Summer (2001).After finishing his second featureBending All the Rules (2002),his plans to relocate to Los Angeles were delayed whenDarren Starhired him to star on the drama seriesThe $treet (2000).
Bradley went on to win the role of young law student Gordon Pinella inChanging Lanes (2002),starringBen AffleckandSamuel L. Jackson,and also played Travis Paterson inMy Little Eye (2002).He finally decided that it was time to forgo his other New York projects and move to Los Angeles when he was cast onAlias (2001).After supporting roles inWedding Crashers (2005),Failure to Launch (2006),The Comebacks (2007),The Rocker (2008)andYes Man (2008),Cooper broke out with major roles inHe's Just Not That Into You (2009),The Hangover (2009)andValentine's Day (2010).He co-starred in the action filmThe A-Team (2010)and headlined the thriller filmLimitless (2011).
Cooper received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor after starring oppositeJennifer LawrenceinDavid O. Russell'sSilver Linings Playbook (2012).He then received two more consecutive Oscar nominations, Best Supporting Actor for playing Richie DiMaso in Russell'sAmerican Hustle (2013)(again opposite Lawrence, though their characters shared no significant screen time), and Best Actor for playing Navy SEAL Chris Kyle inClint Eastwood'sAmerican Sniper (2014),the highest grossing film of 2014. During this time period, Cooper also reprised his role inThe Hangover Part II (2011)andThe Hangover Part III (2013),turned in another strong dramatic turn inThe Place Beyond the Pines (2012),and voiced Rocket Raccoon in the third highest grossing film of 2014,Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).
In 2015, Bradley headlined two comedies,Cameron Crowe'sAloha (2015),set in Hawaii, andJohn Wells'Burnt (2015),set in London, and starred opposite Jennifer Lawrence again in David O. Russell'sJoy (2015).
Bradley has a daughter (born 2017) with his former partner, modelIrina Shayk.
