Bradley Cooper will surely be working the awards circuit with the release of two highly anticipated films. First, there’s his scene-stealing turn in Licorice Pizza from celebrated auteur Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread). Then, there’s his leading performance in Nightmare Alley from visionary Guillermo Del Toro (The Shape of Water, Pan’s Labrynth).
Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time Cooper has made the rounds, as he’s been recognized previously by the Academy many times. The 46 year-old American actor and filmmaker has actually been nominated for variety of awards, including eight Oscars and a Tony Award, while also winning two Grammy Awards and a BAFTA. Cooper appeared on the Forbes Celebrity 100 three times and on Time’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2015. On top of it all, his films have grossed $11 billion worldwide. Here’s a closer look at the best films that feature a starring turn by the Hollywood powerhouse.
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5 Silver Linings Playbook
Via IMDb
David O. Russell’s 2012 hit earned Cooper his first Ocar nomination. The film was based on Matthew Quick’s 2008 novel of the same name, and also stars Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver and Chris Tucker. Set in Pennsylvania, Cooper plays Pat, a man with bipolar disorder released from a psychiatric hospital to move back in with his parents (De Niro and Weaver). Pat is determined to win back his estranged wife, but meets a young widow (Lawrence), who offers to help him get his wife back if he enters a dance competition with her.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Silver Linings Playbook opened to significant critical acclaim, with praise centering on Russell’s direction and Cooper and Lawrence’s respective performances. Among its many accolades, the film received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Director and Adapted Screenplay. In fact, it became the first movie since 2004’s Million Dollar Baby to be nominated for the Big Five Oscars.
4 Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy hit theaters in 2014 and became the third-highest-grossing film that year. It was also praised by critics for many aspects, including Cooper’s comic-relief voiceover work as Rocket Raccoon. Moreover, the movie spawned an entire MCU franchise: its first sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was released in 2017, and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to release in 2023.
At the 87th Academy Awards, Guardians of the Galaxyreceived nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. It also won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 2015.
3 American Hustle
Sony Pictures Releasing
Following the success of Silver Linings Playbook, Cooper teamed up with Russell and Lawrence again for American Hustle. The dark comedy—whose outstanding ensemble cast also features Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and De Niro in a surprise cameo—was inspired by the FBI operation of the late ’70s and early ’80s. It opened to enthusiastic acclaim from critics, who praised its screenplay and ensemble cast.
American Hustle received ten nominations at the 86th Academy Awards. It received three BAFTA Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy), and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
2 American Sniper
A biographical war drama film from Clint Eastwood, American Sniper scored big at the box office during its release. Loosely based on the memoir American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History, the movie follows the life of Chris Kyle (Cooper), who became the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history. While Kyle was celebrated for his military successes, his tours of duty took a heavy toll on his personal life. The movie was also produced by Cooper, among others, and co-stars Sienna Miller as his Kyle’s Taya.
American Sniper became a major success, with a worldwide gross of over $547 million, making it Eastwood’s highest-grossing film to date. Although criticized for some of its violent depictions, it overall received mostly positive reviews from critics. At the 87th Academy Awards, the movie received six nominations, including Best Actor for Cooper.
1 A Star Is Born
A Star Is Born marks Cooper’s directorial debut, co-stars Lady Gaga, Dave Chappelle, Andrew Dice Clay and Sam Elliott, and is the fourth adaptation of the 1937 classic. It was ultimately a critical and commercial success, grossing over $436 million worldwide and receiving praise for the lead performances as well as Cooper’s direction and, of course, the music. The hit film received numerous accolades, including eight nominations at the 91st Academy Awards (among them Best Picture, Best Actor, Actress and Supporting Actor) and a win for Best Original Song for “Shallow.”
