Last month, Warner Bros. released the first photo ofBradley Cooper and Lady Gagain the studio’s remake ofA Star Is Born, just as production got under way. Today we have word that the cast is starting to come together while production continues, with comedian Dave Chappelle joining the team. This marks the actor’s first movie role since appearing in director Spike Lee’sChi-Raqin 2015.
The Hollywood Reporterreveals that Dave Chappelle will play a character named Noodles, the best friend of country star Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper), whom he met while they were both playing in blues clubs. The story follows Jackson Maine, whose career is in decline, when he meets a young singer named Ally (Lady Gaga), whom he strikes up a love affair with. When Jackson starts bringing Ally into the spotlight, her career skyrockets, surpassing Jackson’s fame as he tries to deal with his own fading glory.
The cast forA Star Is Bornalso includes Andrew Dice Clay and Sam Elliot, although no details for their characters have been given. This movie marks the first feature starring role forLady Gaga, after starring inAmerican Horror Storyand having a cameo inMachete Kills. This remake will mark the fourth time this story has been told on the big screen, with the original movie debuting in 1937, starring Janet Gaynor and Frederic March, about an aging movie star who discovers a young starlet, while his own career is going down the drain due to old age and alcoholism. The story was remade in 1954 by director George Kukor, with Judy Garland and James Mason starring, with Barbar Streissand and Kris Kristofferson starring in the 1976 remake.
This project had been in the works for several years, with stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale andTom Cruiseonce circling the lead role, along with director Clint Eastwood, but they never signed on.Beyoncewas also once attached to the project, but she eventually backed out as well, before Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga came aboard, with Bradley Cooper making his directorial debut. Warner Bros. has set a August 13, 2025 release date forA Star Is Born, putting it up against Universal’s comedyNight Schooland 20th Century Fox’sThe Kid Who Would Be King.
Bradley Cooper is directingA Star Is Bornfrom a screenplay he co-wrote withWill FettersandEric Roth, based on a story byWilliam A. WellmanandRobert Carson.Dave Chappellemade headlines last year when he hostedSaturday Night Livein November, the weekend after the U.S. Presidential Election. This year he debuted two popular stand up comedy specials on Netflix, which marked his first stand-up specials in 12 years, with another one on the way for Netflix.
