Bradley Cooper and Howard Stern could’ve played brothers in A Star Is Born.
The Maestro director, star and co-writer recently stopped by The Howard Stern Show to discuss the upcoming Netflix film and revealed that he approached Stern early in the pre-production of 2018’s A Star Is Born to see if he had an interest in playing his brother.
“The thing about Howard to me is he was this mythological figure,” Cooper said. “I’ve done the show three [times] maybe, but the first time I remember when I saw you in person, I couldn’t believe how gentle your eyes are, how kind your eyes are. You can’t even hide it. As much of an asshole you try to be, to me it’s like, ‘Well look how kind his eyes are. It’s just impossible to hate the guy.’”
Stern explained he has told a few people that the multihyphenate offered him the role, only to be faced with the same reaction from them: “What the fuck, and you didn’t do it?” He added that he felt Sam Elliott, who eventually got the role, was “fantastic.”
“The role that was written for the person that played it,” the Star Is Born director said, clarifying that it wasn’t like Elliott just took over the role he offered to Stern. “This was early, things [were just] swimming in my head when I offered it to you.”
The radio show host recalled feeling surprised by the fact that Cooper wanted him to play his brother, joking that the Hangover star must think Stern is better looking than he actually is. He broke down more of the process, noting that when Cooper explained the role to him at the time, he was intrigued and seriously considered cutting his hair and changing his whole look.
“I was really, you know, toying with the idea,” he admitted, to which the Oscar winner replied, “You said, ‘Give me a couple weeks.’ I mean it wasn’t like you said no right away. I feel like there were three weeks of me sort of standing by.”
That collaboration may not have played out, but Stern and Cooper haven’t given up the hope of working together one day; Cooper joked he just has to come up with the right project for the two of them.
