Bradley Cooper admits he was ‘terrified’ after landing big break on Sex and the City
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Bradley Cooper, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in films like “A Star Is Born” and “American Sniper,” recently reflected on his early days in the entertainment industry. Cooper revealed that he was “terrified” when he landed his first major acting role as one of Carrie’s flings on the hit TV show “Sex and the City.”
At the time, Cooper was studying acting in New York City while working as a hotel doorman. When he received the call informing him that he had booked a job on “Sex and the City,” he was petrified. Cooper shared his experience during a Q&A session at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, where he recalled auditioning for the role of Jake, the downtown smoker.
“I still remember it: I was Jake the downtown smoker,” Cooper said. “I auditioned for it, and at that time I didn’t really realize that you could ever get the job. Honestly, I thought that I had a job as a doorman at Morgans Hotel and then I was lucky enough to audition.”
Cooper admitted that he was terrified when he got the call because he had lied during the audition process. He had told them that he could drive a manual car, but in reality, he couldn’t. This created an unexpected challenge for him during filming.
“What do you mean I’m actually going to have to do it?” Cooper remembers asking. “I couldn’t drive a stick shift, so they sent me to Models Driving School, and I was just terrified. I still messed it up, so they had somebody else drive the car, and I just had to pretend that we stopped.”
Despite the initial nerves and challenges, Cooper put on a great performance as Jake, the party boy who has a brief fling with Carrie, played by Sarah Jessica Parker. Cooper described Parker as “incredible” to work with.
Cooper’s slip-up regarding his ability to drive a stick shift was recently discussed by “Sex and the City” director Michael Patrick on the podcast “And Just Like That… The Writers Room.” Patrick revealed that Cooper had claimed he could drive a stick to get the job because the character drove a Karmann Ghia. However, when it came time to film the driving scenes, Cooper admitted that he couldn’t drive a stick.
Luckily, the “Sex and the City” team was able to quickly adjust and make the scene work without Cooper driving a stick. Despite the challenges, Cooper’s role as Jake on the show marked the beginning of his successful acting career.
After his appearance on “Sex and the City,” Cooper went on to make his feature film debut in “Wet Hot American Summer” and starred opposite Jennifer Garner in the TV series “Alias.” He continued to build his reputation in Hollywood, eventually earning multiple Oscar nominations for his performances in films like “Silver Linings Playbook,” “American Sniper,” and “A Star Is Born.”
Most recently, Cooper wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the romantic biopic “Maestro” about composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre. The film has received critical acclaim and is up for seven Oscars, including Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay.
Bradley Cooper’s journey from being “terrified” on the set of “Sex and the City” to becoming an Oscar-nominated actor showcases his talent, perseverance, and ability to overcome challenges in the entertainment industry.
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