Bradley Cooper’s career is as unique as they come, as when he started appearing in TV series, no one thought that he could become an Academy Award-nominated director and actor. Many first saw him as Will Tippin inAliasand followed his career as a TV actor who never got the right project at the right time. After some supporting roles in comedies likeWedding CrashersandYes Man,he finally gothis big break inThe Hangover.
From then on, Cooper mixed big blockbusters with more indie roles, always challenging himself, until he decided he also wanted to write and direct movies. AfterA Star Is Born, everyone has been waiting for his next project,Maestro, and it’s finally arriving.The actor, writer, director, and producer already has nine Oscar nominations, and he’ll probably get many more once this year’s nominees are revealed. CouldMaestrobe the role where he finally gets the golden statue? It’s very possible. For now, here are Cooper’s 10 greatest movie performances, ranked.
10Wedding Crashers (2005)
Wedding Crashers
Jeremy (Vince Vaughn) and John (Owen Wilson) are wedding crashers, so they can eat for free, enjoy a great night, and try to bed beautiful women. That is, until their antics get them into spending a weekend with the Treasury Secretary’s family, where both might find the women of their dreams.
A Different Kind of Role for Bradley Cooper
With anincredible cast that has kept working, this movie was one of the first instances that proved that Cooper could steal any scene and movie he was in. His Sack Lodge is an absolute jerk, and John’s nemesis, as he sees that he’s trying to seduce his girlfriend. The character is an absurd villain, and Cooper relishes being such an egocentric, almost sociopathic maniac, making viewers laugh hysterically at his antics.
Rent on Apple TV
9Limitless (2011)
A slacker writer with an uncertain future, named Eddie Morra (Cooper), becomes a new man when he starts taking NZT pills, that make his brain work at 100% capacity and give him limitlesspossibilities.
Why Limitless Belongs on the List
This movie proved Cooper could be a great leading man, as he appears in almost every scene and keeps every viewer’s attention. Although he starts as a mediocre guy, his rise to the top through the pills is a must-watch, and the actor makes the character’s evolution believable. He also works alongside Robert De Niro and even steals some scenes from one of the greatest actors in history. Cooper might’ve known all the good things this film did for his career, as he even appeared in some episodes of the TV series spin-off that was created after the surprising success of the movie.
Stream on Starz
8American Hustle (2013)
American Hustle
American Hustleis all about the grift, and how Irving Rosenfeld (an unrecognizable Christian Bale) and his girlfriend, Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), are caught doing one, and must work with FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Cooper) to prove a New Jersey Mayor is doing illegal things.
Cooper Was Oscar-Nominated for a Supporting Role
It’sone of David O. Russell’s best movies, with an incredible cast that also includes Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner. There are other, much more flashy performances in the movie, but Cooper’s Richie is the heart of it. His character believes he’s the smartest man in every room he enters, which is certainly not true, and that becomes his mistake, and the actor shows those ideas with every interaction his Richie has.
Stream on Showtime
7American Sniper (2014)
American Sniper
The real-life story of Chris Kyle (Cooper), the greatest sniper in U.S. military history, is whatAmerican Sniperis all about. Clint Eastwood’s film shows how the character becomes such a great marksman, but also his PTSD, and how it affects his family back home, creating a spectacular, yet sad portrayal of that man.
Why American Sniper Is One of Bradley Cooper’s Best
This was confirmation of Cooper’s talent and charisma, as the film wouldn’t work without him and his acting. The character has many layers, contradictions, and sadness, and the actor is able to show all of them off, even when he barely speaks, letting audiences understand everything he’s thinking and feeling. When Eastwood cast Cooper, it was kind of a surprise, but the actor proved the director right, giving an incredible performance.
Stream on Max
6The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
The Place Beyond the Pines
The Place Beyond the Pinesis all about two men; Luke (Ryan Gosling), a motorcycle stunt performer-turned-robber to provide for his family, and Avery (Cooper), a rookie cop trying to make a name for himself. When their paths cross, something happens that changes both their lives and those of their kids, as the movie also chronicles the consequences, 15 years later.
Why The Place Beyond the Pines Makes the List
Derek Ciafrance is a unique filmmaker who always gets great performances from his actors, and this is no different. Cooper’s Avery evolves greatly during the film, and the actor sells that transformation that includes regret, shame, and sorrow. It’s a vulnerable role, one Cooper chose as a challenge, and he hit it out of the park.
5The Hangover (2009)
The Hangover
The Hangoveris all about four friends; Phil (Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis), and Doug (Justin Bartha), who go to Las Vegas for the latter’s bachelor party. When they wake up, the groom-to-be is missing, and the rest of the gang doesn’t remember anything that happened the night before, so they must retrace their steps to find him.
What Makes the Hangover One of Cooper’s Best?
The filmwas shot with a unique processand gave the actor his first franchise to become an A-list actor. It was such a surprising and successful movie that it became a trilogy, and Cooper’s Phil was always at the center as the cool jerk, best friend, and group leader. The charismatic performance was what proved that Cooper was ready to become a movie star, and it was his first step into becoming a respected actor.
4Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Silver Linings Playbook
Silver Linings Playbooktells the love story between bipolar Pat Solitano (Cooper), and Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence, who won an Oscar for her performance), as they start training for a dance competition and discover that each other’s eccentricities match perfectly together.
Why Cooper’s First Collaboration With David O. Russell Is One of His Best Performances
This performance is the one that showed audiences and critics what Cooper could do with a great character, as his Pat is a mentally layered individual, who is lost in life and doesn’t know how to express himself. The actor gives a vulnerable performance, and has incredible chemistry with Lawrence, creating a unique, different kind of love story that makes viewers both laugh and shed a tear. The movie earned the actor his first Oscar nomination ever.
Stream on Netflix
3Maestro (2023)
Read Our Review
Maestrois the latest Bradley Cooper project, one he co-wrote, directed, and stars in as the famous conductor-composer, Leonard Bernstein. The film tells his story to the top of the composer’s world, while also giving a lot of attention to his love story with Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), and how it changed and evolved over the years.
Why Maestro Makes the List
Other than some strange controversy about his fake nose, everyone who has seen the movie has lauded the actor’s performance. The character is full of contradictions, and Cooper embraces every one of them, from his bisexuality to the fact that the character is all bravado and charisma on stage, and much darker, brooding, and silent at home when he’s composing, showing the many sides of one of the greatest composers of the last century. There’s a lot of talk about a possible Academy Award nomination for Cooper, who has already been nominated for a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Bernstein.
Maestrowill be available on Netflix on December 20th, 2023.
2Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxytells the story of a band of misfits who become a found family that will save the galaxy. The team is led by Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), with Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), Drax (Dave Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel), and Rocket Raccoon (Cooper) in a movie (and franchise) withsome incredible needle drops.
Why We’ve Included Guardians of the Galaxy
Although it’s only a voice performance, it’s incredible how much personality and feelings the actor gives to this quick-witted talking raccoon. The character shows love, hurt, sarcasm, and a mischievous personality through Cooper’s acting, which made him a fan favorite. So much so, that the second and third entries in the franchise center more around him, and the evolution of his character from hateful sidekick to worthy leader.
Stream on Disney+
1A Star is Born (2018)
A Star is Born
A Star is Bornis the story of Ally (Lady Gaga) and her rise to fame with the help of famous musician (and lover), Jack (Cooper), who is having an existential crisis of his own. Cooper learned to sing and play guitar for the film that he also co-wrote and directed.
Why A Star is Born is Bradley Cooper’s Best Performance
The actor gave it his all in this performance, giving himself a complex character who has addiction issues, depression, and is in the worst shape of his life. Cooper doesn’t mind looking like a mess for the good of the character, and that’s what happens here, as Jack’s best redeeming quality is the love he has for Ally. The actors have off-the-charts chemistry, so much so, that there were rumors that they might’ve been an item off-screen. His character’s tragic end is a gut-punch for audiences, proving his performance is top-notch, and has made the viewer care for him in his downfall, earning him an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal.
