Bradley Cooper spent six years learning to conduct music for one movie scene
Topics: Bradley Cooper, Celebrity, Film and TV, Music, US News
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Bradley Cooper, Celebrity, Film and TV, Music, US News
Bradley Cooper has detailed the years of studying he had to do for his hit movie, Maestro.
Maestro dropped on Netflix in November 2023, and sees Cooper portray highly-acclaimed music conductor, Leonard Bernstein.
The movie is based on Bernstein and his relationship with his wife, Felicia Montealegre (played by Carey Mulligan).
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It went down a storm with critics and currently boasts 80 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Both Cooper and Mulligan have since been nominated for an Oscar in their respective categories.
But the film hasn't come without its criticism as many people hit out at Cooper for his fake nose for the role as the Jewish conductor.
Some even went as far as comparing it to blackface, but Bernstein's family came to Cooper's defence.
Away from his physical transformation for the role, the 49-year-old actor also had to learn how to conduct music - something which took him over six years to learn.
His years of studying were purely for the sake of six minutes and 21 seconds of music.
Discussing the hard work he put in, the Silver Linings Playbook star admitted he was 'worried' about the scene.
"That scene I was so worried about because we did it live," he admitted a Los Angeles screening for the film last year.
"That was the London Symphony Orchestra. I was recorded live. I had to conduct them. And I spent six years learning how to conduct six minutes and 21 seconds of music."
Cooper continued: "I was able to get the raw take where I just watched Leonard Bernstein [conduct] at Ely Cathedral with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1976. And so I had that to study."
He went on to say that he had 'wonderful teachers', noting Metropolitan Opera director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, as one of them.
"I think that I knew I was terrified," Cooper added. "Absolutely terrified that if I hadn’t done the work then I wouldn’t be able to enjoy myself in these scenes. And everybody did."
His Best Actor nomination for this year's Oscars comes as Cooper's fourth over the course of his career.
He received nominations for his roles in Silver Linings Playbook, American Sniper, and A Star Is Born as well.
Elsewhere, Maestro has received Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Screenplay.
The star studded awards night will take place at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on March 10.