Bradley Cooper

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The Superficial - full Elephant Men set

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Bradley Cooper Gets Caught In His Lies In New Trailer For The Words

Even though Bradley Cooper is a ridiculously handsome, ridiculously charming and ridiculously successful movie star who couldn't blend in with a crowd if he tried, he's somehow found a mini-niche of playing schlubby writers who are down on their luck. In the surprise hit Limitless he played a writer who becomes a genius only after taking a powerful pill, and in the upcoming The Words, he plays a novelist who can't find any success until he happens upon someone else's work and claims it as his own. As you can see in the trailer below, it's definitely plagiarism, but you also kind of understand his temptation to steal-- and also why Jeremy Irons, playing the man who actually wrote the novel, is so upset about it.

That's a very quick trailer, so if you want to know more about the movie you can watch this longer trailer, or simply go here. The movie, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January, is indeed more thoughtful than you might expect from a movie starring Zoe Saldana of Avatar and Bradley Cooper of The Hangover-- it really is about words, about storytelling and ownership and keeping a story alive. It also gets away with having such a packed cast because it tells multiple stories, through flashbacks and nested scenes that have you wondering just which version of the story is real. It was far from the best movie I saw at Sundance, but it's a careful and well-acted one, and gives Saldana and Cooper in particular a chance to strut their dramatic stuff.

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The Words Trailer 2

http://www.movieweb.com/movie/the-words/trailer-2

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More and untagged Elephant Man

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JENNIFER LAWRENCE, BRADLEY COOPER, AND CHRISTINA HENDRICKS DO LUNCH

Major stars of TV and film gathered together in LA today for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's 2012 Installation Luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Jennifer Lawrence stepped out in a Narciso Rodriguez ensemble and met up with her Silver Linings Playbook costar Bradley Cooper inside the event. Bradley and Jennifer will likely be spending time together this Fall while promoting their movie prior to its November release, but first, she'll report to Atlanta to start filming Catching Fire. Bradley's reportedly heading to Las Vegas to begin work on The Hangover Part III.

Mad Men's Christina Hendricks looked lovely in a black dress while posing for photos on the red carpet, as did Political Animals star Carla Gugino and Django Unchained's Kerry Washington. Inside the ballroom, old friends Dustin Hoffman and Jack Black shared a laugh while John Travolta posed for photos with peers. This year's gathering gave celebrities the chance to catch up and also served as an opportunity for the HFPA to announce its newly inducted officers.

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ET- Exclusive 'The Words' clip

http://www.etonline.com/movies/124099_Bradley_Cooper_Exclusive_Clip_The_Words/

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At the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Installation Luncheon held at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Thursday (August 9) in Beverly Hills, Calif.

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Bradley Cooper on Stage: An Elephant Man in Reverse?

On Sunday, August 5, 2012, Bradley Cooper (The Hangover; Limitless) completed a 12-day run as John Merrick in Bernard Pomerance‘s touching 1977 play, The Elephant Man, at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. I took a little trip from New York City to Williamstown, Massachusetts to see the production, which also starred Patricia Clarkson (Good Night, and Good Luck; The Station Agent) and Alessandro Nivola (Janie Jones; Jurassic Park III, and the upcoming Devil’s Knot).

Bradley Cooper takes on the stance of John Merrick at Williamstown Theatre Festival. It was painful to watch him fold three fingers of his right hand over one another; I can’t imagine what this position felt like. | © T. Charles Erickson

I was familiar with the play because I was lucky enough to see the original London and Broadway productions in the early 1980′s. Did Williamstown’s staging measure up? Yes, it was glorious in every way. This is why it chaps my you-know-what to see so many media outlets joking about the irony of a good looking actor playing the elephant man, questioning whether someone dubbed the “Sexiest Man Alive” could pull off the role, and focusing on his shirtless appearance in one scene (a device used for good reason in all stagings of this play).

Unlike David Lynch‘s1980 film starring John Hurt in which Hurt wears prosthetics to look like the real John Merrick (akaJoseph Merrick), Pomerance specifically mandated that the actor in his largely fictional play wear no prosthetics or makeup. The idea was to eliminate the visual barrier between the man and the audience so that they could focus on his inner life. Attractive men have been purposely cast in the role, from David Schofield in London to Philip Anglim (an adaptation of this version is available onAmazon.com) and Billy Crudup on Broadway, to name a few.

So, the greater irony is that so many have fixated on Cooper’s appearance, turning him, in essence, into an elephant man in reverse. One of the themes of the play is superficiality and objectification. In Merrick’s case, he was objectified as an oddity in sideshows. Celebrities like Cooper also have to deal with staring eyes wherever they go.

Merrick purportedly ended his letters with an excerpt of the poem, “False Greatness,” by Isaac Watts (1674-1748):

Tis true my form is something odd,

But blaming me is blaming God;

Could I create myself anew

I would not fail in pleasing you.

If I could reach from pole to pole

Or grasp the ocean with a span,

I would be measured by the soul;

The mind’s the standard of the man.

The last four lines could apply to anyone whose looks give people pause, positively or negatively. Jane attended a Q&A recently with Kristen Bell, who stars with Cooper in Hit and Run, a new movie in which he plays a crook with blonde dreadlocks. Bell said the studios fought the look that downplays his handsomeness. I guess you can’t blame them, but kudos to Cooper and filmmakers Dax Shepard and David Palmer for waiting until they found a studio that let them make the movie they wanted.

Bradley Cooper and Shuler Hensley in The Elephant Man at Williamstown Theatre Festival | © T. Charles Erickson

Now, don’t get me wrong. I hardly think Bradley Cooper is in need of our sympathy. But the lesson about objectification in Pomerance’s play certainly applies in both directions.

I won’t pretend to be immune to Cooper’s looks, but that isn’t why I’m a fan. After all, Hollywood is lousy with handsome actors. I have become a fan because of his work (some of the best of which many people have never seen) and because of the person he appears to be in interviews.

For example, in his Inside the Actors Studio appearance, Cooper said this about his career: “I know that money or the fact that more people know who I am doesn’t do anything, doesn’t give you anything, zero. If anything, it’s something you have to sort of grapple with and come to terms with. But the only thing that really matters is the joy of picking up a cup in a scene and doing it authentically.”

What he’s talking about is losing himself in the character’s circumstances, which is a high that only actors understand. Contrary to what people think about acting, this process is actually a loss of ego, and it’s addictive. It’s also hard to achieve.

He stars in a few movies coming out soon (

;

; The Place Beyond the Pines; Serena) that may bring him more respect – like Brad Pitt and George Clooney have managed “in spite of” their looks. My fan status doesn’t color my opinion of his performance in The Elephant Man either. The reviews (only local critics were allowed to review it) were unanimously positive.

Bradley Cooper, Alessandro Nivola, and Patricia Clarkson in The Elephant Man at Williamstown Theatre Festival | © T. Charles Erickson

The play made a huge impression on me in the early 1980′s, and both of the actors I saw portray Merrick moved me deeply. This time, though, despite trying not to cry (sniffling in a small theater can make you self-conscious), I remained teary throughout the entire play. Details of the originals are, admittedly, hazy after 30+ years, but I know I didn’t cry from beginning to end during those productions.

Philip Anglim, for example, didn’t contort his face in the role, but Cooper did. This makes facial expressions difficult, which was true for the real Merrick, as well. It also makes it necessary for the actor to convey his emotions primarily through his eyes, voice, and inner life. No mean feat.

Despite this challenge, the vulnerability that Cooper brought to the role was endearing and immensely heartbreaking. Toward the beginning of the play in a scene in which Merrick is beaten, he wailed, and the sound pierced the heart. His voice was unrecognizable; besides the English accent, his pitch was higher. I spoke to him for a moment after the play, and I was struck by the difference between his voice in character and his normal speaking voice.

Patricia Clarkson in The Elephant Man at Williamstown Theatre Festival | © T. Charles Erickson

Patricia Clarkson as Mrs. Kendal, an actress who befriends Merrick, evoked the loudest laughs of the evening, and she made her hard work on the character look effortless. I have noticed this about her before, and I think it’s the reason she’s largely underrated. She simply makes it look too easy and natural, which is the mark of a true artist.

In the scene in which Mrs. Kendal first meets Merrick, he tells her of his unique interpretation of Romeo and Juliet. The look on Clarkson’s face was unforgettable as she registered that the disfigured man in front of her was such an intelligent, sensitive soul. She made me want to be an actress again.

If you aren’t familiar with Alessandro Nivola’s work, pay attention. As Frederick Treves, the doctor who cares for Merrick, Nivola brought impressive depth and nuance to a role that requires quite an emotional journey. Treves questions much in his life as a result of Merrick’s presence in it.

The very intimate theater at Williamstown served the play so well that I hate to ever see it in a larger venue again. The set by Timothy R. Mackabee was perfectly spare, the lighting design by Philip S. Rosenberg helped create the “elephant man” illusion, and the music in between scenes by Tom Kochan set just the right mood. The costumes by Clint Ramos were gorgeous and detailed. The talented director, Scott Ellis (who also directed Jim Parsons in the current Broadway production of Harvey), is to be commended, as is the entire cast.

I’d be remiss, though, if I didn’t specifically acknowledge Shuler Hensley, who played two pivotal roles seamlessly – a fact I didn’t realize until I checked my program. He was particularly effective as Ross, the man who is brutal to Merrick early on, yet manages to evoke pathos in a later scene.

Alessandro Nivola in The Elephant Man at Williamstown Theatre Festival | © T. Charles Erickson

Cooper performed a 30-minute version of the play while a student at the Actors Studio, so he has apparently wanted to portray Merrick professionally for a long time. In the program, the last line of his bio reads “Dedicated to JM.” His empathy for Merrick was palpable in his performance.

Forgive me for being preachy, but… While I don’t think there’s anything wrong with celebrating someone’s beauty or even feeling a healthy helping of lust, I do think it’s a problem when we do so to the exclusion of their other, less temporal qualities. Just as Victorian England assumed Merrick was an “imbecile” due to his appearance and difficulty with speech, don’t we often assume (or perhaps hope) that someone who is beautiful can’t also be smart or talented?

When I was in my 20′s, one of my dearest friends was probably the handsomest man I’ve ever seen. A girl learned one day that he had graduated from a prestigious university, and she said, “Oh, you’re smart.” He innocently asked me what that was about. “She meant, too, sweetie,” I told him. “She meant, ‘Oh, you’re smart, too.’”

Besides our difficulty – still – in dealing maturely with physical abnormalities, our culture has an adolescent love/hate relationship with physical beauty, and our behavior as a result can bring out what is ugliest inside us. For this reason alone, Pomerance’s The Elephant Man remains relevant 35 years after it was written and 150 years after John Merrick was born.

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New The Words clips

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsr1cq_the-words-i-think-it-s-old_shortfilms

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsr1c8_the-words-i-just-got-to-finish-this_shortfilms

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Victor's Cabaret:

http://www.justjared.com/2012/08/21/bradley-cooper-victor-garbers-cabaret-debut/

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Photo Flash: Bradley Cooper, Nathan Lane, and More Visit Victor Garber at 54 Below!

The stars were out this week at 54 Below. Stars ranging from Hollywood's Bradley Cooper and Academy Award nominee Amy Irving to Tony Award winners Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, David Hyde Pierce, Betty Buckley, John Benjamin Hickey, Ron Rifkin, John Kander, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman were in attendance for Victor Garber's final performance at the venue on August 20. Sarah Rice, who co-starred opposite Garber' as Johanna in the original Broadway cast of Sweeney Todd, also stopped backstage for a reunion. Earlier in the week, Academy Award nominee Patricia Clarkson and vocalist Tom Postilio came out for Hilary Kole's opening night.

54 BELOW, Broadway’s nightclub is the new performance venue in the grand tradition of New York City nightlife. A few blocks from the heart of Times Square and just below the legendary Studio 54, 54 BELOW is a classically designed state-of-the art nightclub in the theatre district that hosts audiences with warmth and style.

In their description of 54 BELOW, The New York Times writes “the club has the intimacy of a large living room with unimpeded views and impeccable sound; there is not a bad seat. Its sultry after-hours ambience is enhanced by brocade-patterned wall panels planted with orange-shaded lanterns. And the atmosphere is warmer and sexier than in Manhattan’s other major supper clubs.” The New York Post calls the venue "a gorgeous new cabaret space. With its heavy lineup of moonlighting Broadway stars, 54 Below has the congenial feel of a theater hangout where stars go to unwind and sing the songs that really matter to them. It’s a pleasure to share their joy."

Designed by Tony Award winner John Lee Beatty and architect Richard Lewis, lit by Tony Award winner Ken Billington, and with sound by Tony Award nominee Peter Hylenski, 54 BELOW features an in-your-living-room intimate relationship between its performers and audiences. Tony Award winner Scott Wittman serves as creative consultant and MAC Award Winner Phil Geoffrey Bond serves as director of programming. André J. Marrero is the Executive Chef of the new venue, which provides a food and beverage menu from early evening through the wee hours of the morning that is worthy of the world-class entertainment on the stage. Bringing together his love of the arts with his passion for cooking and hospitality, Chef André has created a market driven contemporary bistro menu that includes ingredients sourced from all over the world.

54 BELOW is owned and operated by Tony Award winning producers Tom Viertel, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, and Steven Baruch. 54 BELOW features up to three shows nightly and has audio and video recording capabilities. The cover charge ranges from $5-$85.

54 BELOW is located at 254 West 54th Street. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com.

Read more: http://broadwayworld...##ixzz24I62rzVW

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BRADLEY COOPER IS WORKING UP A BROMANCE WITH JEREMY IRONS

IT appears that a Tinseltown bromance is brewing between Hollywood heart-throb Bradley Cooper and stalwart of the British acting fraternity Jeremy Irons.

So much so in fact that Bradley, 37, left, has likened his 63-year-old co-star of upcoming film The Words to an angel.

“Working with Jeremy was just one of those moments where you just have to pinch yourself,” says Bradley.

“First of all, his voice is just so intoxicating. Then there’s his face and his hair – that guy is just like an angel.” Blimey!

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Bradley Cooper calls Dax Shepard 'a talented filmmaker' - See video

Actor Bradley Cooper stars in Dax Shepard's new film "Hit & Run" and the actor talked about working with his friend on the film, who he described as "a talented filmmaker."When asked at the film's premiere earlier this month if the film turned out well because of the chemistry of the cast, Cooper told us, "I think it's because he wrote a great script with great characters and then on top of that he got his friends together to do it."

"I think at his core, he's a talented filmmaker," the 37-year-old added. "'Cause you can get your buddies together and have a great time and make a not make a very good anything. So it's really because of him that he wrote such a great script and he had a vision for how to tell it."

Shepard plays a former getaway driver named Charlie Bronson who jeopardizes his Witness Protection Plan identity in order to help his girlfriend (Kristen Bell) get to Los Angeles. A U.S. Marshal and Charlie's former gang, including Cooper's character, a friend who went to jail because of Bronson, chase them on the road.

Shepard wrote the film and co-directed the movie with David Palmer. The movie also stars Kristin Chenoweth, Beau Bridges, Michael Rosenbaum and Tom Arnold. Shepard, Cooper and Arnold worked together on Shepard's 2010 mockumentary "Brother's Justice."

The actor described "Hit & Run" as, "a road-movie-rom-com-screwball-comedy-dark-drama."

Cooper joked that working with Bell and Shepard, who have been engaged since 2010, was "a nightmare."

He later added that audiences will really like "[shepard and Bell's] relationship, which is amazing in the movie, and I think the car chases and I think the jokes are funny. Tom Arnold is great."

"Hit & Run" hit theaters on August 22. Check out the trailer below.

http://www.ontheredcarpet.com/Bradley-Cooper-calls-Dax-Shepard-a-talented-filmmaker---See-video/8786297

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnBU6bYl28o

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEeiw81RomA

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Full Jimmy Fallon:

http://celebrity-gossip.net/bradley-cooper/bradley-cooper-talks-words-jimmy-fallon-715316

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Late Night with Jimmy Fallon - August 23, 2012