The Extraordinary Journey: Bradley Cooper's Six-Year Preparation for a Memorable Six Minutes of Conducting in 'Maestro'
Bradley Cooper's unwavering dedication shines through in his portrayal of composer Leonard Bernstein in Maestro, as he immerses himself in the role for six years to master just six minutes of conducting
Talk about commitment.
Bradley Cooper has revealed more about some of his preparation to play composer Leonard Bernstein in the film, "Maestro."
According to IndieWire, the actor talked about it at a Los Angeles screening for the movie, where there was a conversation moderated by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony Award-winning actor from "Hamilton."
Cooper analyzed a particular scene in which Bernstein is famously shown conducting the London Symphony Orchestra in Ely Cathedral in 1976.
"That particular scene had me extremely nervous due to its live execution," he explained. "The London Symphony Orchestra performed it while I conducted, and the whole experience was recorded live. I dedicated six years to mastering the art of conducting for a mere six minutes and 21 seconds of music."
Wow. Now that's what you call dedicated method acting.
Cooper, who directed and co-wrote the film, revealed that he meticulously studied raw footage of Bernstein conducting at the event in order to authentically replicate it.
"The goal was to capture the exact cinematic essence I desired, and then invite the cast to fully immerse themselves in that space, relying on their extensive preparation," he explained. "I was genuinely scared that without putting in the necessary effort, I wouldn't be able to fully embrace these scenes. But fortunately, everyone exceeded my expectations."
Despite receiving criticism for wearing a prosthetic nose to portray Bernstein, who was Jewish, Cooper's choice has been defended by members of the composer's own family. "Maestro" is scheduled for a limited theatrical release on November 22 and will be available for streaming on Netflix in December.
