Bradley Cooper

Made films the shows talk about.

Wikidata Q205707: matched by corpus:resolve, told apart by Wikidata joins them to Nightmare Alley, which ‘Nightmare Alley’ and Our Favorite Films Noir, With Patton Oswalt! credits them on.

Counted as actor. The films the hosts said they acted in, which the two lists below run through too: Wedding Crashers (2005); The Hangover (2009); American Sniper (2014); Guardians of the Galaxy (2014); Aloha (2015); Burnt (2015); Joy (2015); A Star Is Born (2018); Avengers: Infinity War (2018); The Mule (2018); Nightmare Alley (2021); Maestro (2023); Is This Thing On? (2025); Superman (2025); American Hustle; Dungeons & Dragons; Jackson Maine character; Kitchen Confidential (series). Count them as director (2 films), writer (1 film) instead.

Draws on

What the speakers say they, or a film of theirs, drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

The Avengers (2012): 2 lines

programming (programming) · through Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Guardians of the Galaxy (the host's read). Thanos' Chitauri subcontracting sets up the cosmic films; Guardians is next on their Marvel list.
“We're gonna we're gonna cover Peter movie soon.”
Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 1:34:57 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage) · through Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which they acted in: The Avengers ⇒ Avengers: Infinity War (the host's read). The Hulk echoes Tony Stark's words from the first Avengers; the movie is full of callbacks.
“echoing Tony Stark's words from the Avengers 2012”
Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 0:25:44 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which they acted in: Avengers: Age of Ultron ⇒ Avengers: Infinity War (the host's read). The Hulkbuster armor pays off Banner being almost defeated by it before.
“it's paying off the fact that he was, you know, almost defeated by this armor before.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 2:00:15 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Chef (Fincher/Keanu Reeves version, unmade): 1 line

unmapped (became) · through Burnt (2015), which they acted in: Chef (Fincher/Keanu Reeves version, unmade) ⇒ Burnt (the host's read). Fincher's unmade Chef project eventually becomes Burnt.
“Uh, that transmutes and takes form and eventually becomes burnt.”
Blank Check — Patreon · The Social Network (Ad-Free) · 0:21:31 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

Guillermo del Toro: 1 line

unmapped (technique learned from) · through Maestro (2023), which they acted in: Guillermo del Toro ⇒ Maestro (the maker said so: a video with Guillermo del Toro). Cooper learned crane technique from del Toro and used it in the On the Town sequence.
“executed magnificently in the on the town sequence in Maestro.”
The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:17:17 · Amanda Dobbins (0.40 sure it was them)

Jack Kirby: 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which they acted in: Jack Kirby ⇒ Avengers: Infinity War (the host's read). Kirby's cosmic creations at Marvel, Galactus and the Silver Surfer, are the ancestors of this material.
“he creates galactus and silver surf and all these parrots”
Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 1:56:25 · Griffin Newman (0.35 sure it was them)

Jim Starlin: 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which they acted in: Jim Starlin ⇒ Avengers: Infinity War (the host's read). The cosmic Thanos comics were mostly Starlin and mostly dudes talking on half asteroids.
“Starlin stuff, mostly.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 1:52:56 · David Sims (0.30 sure it was them)

Joe Pesci: 1 line

craft (craft) · them, directly: Joe Pesci ⇒ Bradley Cooper (the host's read). Cooper plays Rocket as a Joe Pesci type, a full character performance rather than the Hangover guy or a wisecracking donkey.
“I'm gonna play this like Joe Pashi.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 0:29:23 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Lethal Weapon 2 (1989): 1 line

craft (craft) · them, directly: Lethal Weapon 2 ⇒ Bradley Cooper (the host's read). Rocket sounds like Pesci in Lethal Weapon 2.
“He's doing Joe Pesci in like lethal weapon too.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 0:29:31 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Nightmare Alley (1947): 1 line

lineage (remake) · through Nightmare Alley (2021), which they acted in: Nightmare Alley ⇒ Nightmare Alley (the host's read). The 1947 film is a neutered version given 1940s moviemaking; the new one is bigger, bolder and better.
“It's an interesting movie, a neutered version of the story, I would say, given the circumstances of movie making back in the 40s.”
The Big Picture · ‘Nightmare Alley’ and Our Favorite Films Noir, With Patton Oswalt! · 0:03:35 · Sean Fennessey (0.95 sure it was them)

Ron Perlman: 1 line

lineage (origin of the project) · through Nightmare Alley (2021), which they acted in: Ron Perlman ⇒ Nightmare Alley (the host's read). Perlman reportedly put the Gresham book in Del Toro's hands in the mid 90s, so he is why the film exists.
“he's the person, I believe, who, uh, who put the book in Del Toro's hands, I think in the mid 90s.”
The Big Picture · ‘Nightmare Alley’ and Our Favorite Films Noir, With Patton Oswalt! · 0:39:39 · Sean Fennessey (0.80 sure it was them)

Seared (unmade): 1 line

unmapped (became) · through Kitchen Confidential (series), which they acted in: Seared (unmade) ⇒ Kitchen Confidential (series) (the host's read). Fincher's Seared later became the TV show Kitchen Confidential, based on Anthony Bourdain's writing.
“One point Fincher was attached to a movie called Seared, which later becomes a television show called Kitchen Confidential, because it is based on Anthony Bourdain's writing.”
Blank Check — Patreon · The Social Network (Ad-Free) · 0:21:05 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

Drawn on by

What the speakers say drew on them or a film of theirs, marked the same way.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017): 4 lines

craft (craft) · through Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), which they acted in: Guardians of the Galaxy ⇒ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (the host's read). Vol. 2 used a brightly blue Yondu and a bright Milano interior to dodge the washed-out look of the first film's color grading.
“He's just smart about working in, like, I'm going to make his skin so bright blue.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 0:25:17 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage) · through Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), which they acted in: Guardians of the Galaxy ⇒ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (the host's read). The sequel deepens Yondu's relationship with Quill so the first film's scene reads differently in retrospect.
“Knowing what you know about their relationship that you learn in the sequel, you know, colors this scene a little bit more”
Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 1:26:31 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage) · through Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), which they acted in: Guardians of the Galaxy ⇒ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (the host's read). The sequel doubles down on Yondu's arrow by building its best action sequence around it.
“And then that the 2nd movie doubles down on it with like building its best action sequence around the era.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 1:42:42 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage) · through Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), which they acted in: Guardians of the Galaxy ⇒ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (the host's read). Vol. 2 is the movie that develops Nebula's backstory with Gamora; this film is about Quill and dads in embryo.
“Because 2 is the one that's gonna, you know, is trying to win you over to Nebula.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 1:43:46 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Captain Marvel (2019): 2 lines

lineage (lineage) · through Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), which they acted in: Guardians of the Galaxy ⇒ Captain Marvel (the host's read). As a prequel, Captain Marvel brings back Guardians characters Ronan (Lee Pace) and Korath (Djimon Hounsou).
“this is, of course, a prequel, so their characters appear in this film again.”
The Big Picture · ‘Captain Marvel’ Is a ’90s Nostalgia Play. Did It Work? | Exit Survey · 0:43:32 · Sean Fennessey (0.80 sure it was them)
craft (craft) · through Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), which they acted in: Guardians of the Galaxy ⇒ Captain Marvel (the host's read). The Flarkin cat in Captain Marvel is a version of the Drax metaphor joke, but this film's joke lands better thanks to the cut to his face.
“And you know, you know, the cat in Captain Marvel is like a version of this joke.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 1:46:06 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Ant-Man (2015): 1 line

programming (programming) · through Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), which they acted in: Guardians of the Galaxy ⇒ Ant-Man (the host's read). After Guardians' success with unknown characters, Ant-Man was an easy next gamble.
“you do Ant-Man after that because you're just like, yeah, let's do Ant-Man.”
The Big Picture · The Past, Present, and Future of Superhero Movies | The Big Picture (Ep. 35) · 0:17:03 · Jason Concepcion (0.40 sure it was them)

Avengers: Endgame (2019): 1 line

unmapped (continuity) · through Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which they acted in: Avengers: Infinity War ⇒ Avengers: Endgame (the host's read). Thor knowing where the reality stone is sets up a bad decision in Endgame.
“that plays into Endgame, and a bad decision they make”
Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 1:03:46 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Fighting with My Family (2019): 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through A Star Is Born (2018), which they acted in: A Star Is Born ⇒ Fighting with My Family (the maker said so: Merchant in this interview). Merchant says he thought about A Star Is Born, the rags to riches story, as much as the sports side.
“I was thinking as much about films like, you know, like a Star is Born”
The Big Picture · Pro Wrestling Goes to the Movies, Plus Stephen Merchant on ‘Fighting With My Family’ | Interview (Ep. 130) · 0:27:47 · Stephen Merchant (0.95 sure it was them)

Sonic the Hedgehog (upcoming film): 1 line

industry (industry) · through Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), which they acted in: Guardians of the Galaxy ⇒ Sonic the Hedgehog (upcoming film) (the host's read). The new Sonic design looks like it copied Rocket's design.
“I also think they copied Rocket's design for the new Sonic.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 0:32:18 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

What the speakers said they did

What was said about them, by kind

career (6)

career (career): Bradley Cooper → Guardians of the Galaxy. His Rocket Raccoon voice work is cited as good.
“I mean, you know, Rocky Raccoon, that was good.”
The Big Picture · The 10 Most Misused Stars in Hollywood and the Gnarly Magic of ‘Send Help’ · 1:32:43 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): Bradley Cooper → The Mule. The Mule is the last real movie-star part he has had.
“Is the last real movie star part he's had, which is in 2018.”
The Big Picture · The 10 Most Misused Stars in Hollywood and the Gnarly Magic of ‘Send Help’ · 1:34:07 · Amanda Dobbins (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career risk): Bradley Cooper → Roy Scheider. Cooper taking this dark role after A Star Is Born is a 1970s-style star move like Scheider in Sorcerer.
“it reminded me of what Roy Schneider did in Sorcerer, which is another movie that came out”
The Big Picture · ‘Nightmare Alley’ and Our Favorite Films Noir, With Patton Oswalt! · 0:37:28 · Patton Oswalt (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): A Star Is Born → Bradley Cooper. Actors, the largest Academy voting bloc, love the film and what Cooper becoming a director means for their futures.
“actors are far and away the largest subcategory of voters.”
The Big Picture · Instant Reactions to a Truly Ludicrous Golden Globes | The Oscars Show (Ep. 115) · 0:27:01 · Amanda Dobbins (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): A Star Is Born → Bradley Cooper. The film is described as Cooper's play to become a respected auteur director.
“So this was very clearly his play to become an auteur, a respected director.”
The Big Picture · The Big Picture: A Ringer Movies Podcast · 0:00:43 · unknown (clip speaker) (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Bradley Cooper → Clint Eastwood. A speaker says Cooper's directing bid is an attempt to reach Eastwood's level, hence calling him Clint.
“He keeps calling Clint Eastwood Clint, and he wants to be on that level.”
The Big Picture · The Big Picture: A Ringer Movies Podcast · 0:00:48 · unknown (clip speaker, discussing Cooper) (0.40 sure it was them)

craft (4)

craft (craft): Bradley Cooper → A Star Is Born. Says Cooper performed as himself rather than as Jackson Maine, which is a mistake because the character's voice is indelible.
“Bradley Cooper, very notably, did not perform as Jackson Maine.”
The Big Picture · Oscars 2019: Instant Reactions to ‘Green Book’ and the Two Warring Academies | The Oscars Show (Ep. 131) · 0:28:21 · Sean Fennessey (0.45 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Bradley Cooper → Joe Pesci. Cooper plays Rocket as a Joe Pesci type, a full character performance rather than the Hangover guy or a wisecracking donkey.
“I'm gonna play this like Joe Pashi.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 0:29:23 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Bradley Cooper → Lethal Weapon 2. Rocket sounds like Pesci in Lethal Weapon 2.
“He's doing Joe Pesci in like lethal weapon too.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 0:29:31 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Sean Gunn → Bradley Cooper. Gunn's brother Sean performed Rocket on set on his knees so Cooper's voice work had something to react to and be built on.
“He does all the rocket performance on his knees.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 1:00:16 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

people (2)

people (people): Bradley Cooper → Jennifer Lawrence. Cooper and Lawrence paired in American Hustle and Serena as another recurring screen couple.
“They were San American Hustle the next year”
The Rewatchables · ‘The War of the Roses’ With Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, and Amanda Dobbins · 0:38:14 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
people (performance vs. film): Maestro → Bradley Cooper. Cooper's performance is one of the best things about Maestro, but he is not quite the center of a movie that is afraid of that.
“I love his performance. I think that his performance is one of the best things about it, but, He's not the center of the movie.”
The Big Picture · Oscar Nomination Predictions, ‘Mean Girls,’ and ‘All of Us Strangers’ With Andrew Scott · 0:39:32 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)

unmapped (1)

unmapped (producing partnership): Todd Phillips → Bradley Cooper. Phillips and Bradley Cooper are producing partners, so Phillips could be on stage if A Star Is Born wins.
“he and Bradley Cooper are producing partners.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Old School’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 1:06:24 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them)

verdict (4)

verdict (verdict): Maestro → Bradley Cooper. Maestro is an amazing directing achievement but not a great Leonard Bernstein movie.
“Maestro is like an amazing achievement of directing.”
The Big Picture · The 10 Most Misused Stars in Hollywood and the Gnarly Magic of ‘Send Help’ · 1:33:11 · Amanda Dobbins (0.50 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Bradley Cooper → Nightmare Alley. Nightmare Alley is a great performance about a possessed gross man, little beyond.
“it's a great performance about like a demon, like a possessed gross man and very little beyond that.”
The Big Picture · The 10 Most Misused Stars in Hollywood and the Gnarly Magic of ‘Send Help’ · 1:34:18 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)
verdict (guessed favorite): Bradley Cooper → All About Eve. Asked which Bette Davis movie Cooper loves, a speaker guesses All About Eve.
“All about Eve?”
The Big Picture · The ‘Babylon’ Watch-Along · 0:06:43 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Bradley Cooper → A Star Is Born. Rocket in Guardians is ranked as one of Cooper's best performances, though A Star Is Born is argued higher for being his own face.
“God, this is Cooper's 2nd best performance.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 1:29:09 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Fun items about them

fun, about Bradley Cooper: Cooper's roles this decade are cameos like a two-foot-tall Dungeons and Dragons appearance.
“at the scream when he shows up on Dungeons and Dragons, like 2 feet tall.”
The Big Picture · The 10 Most Misused Stars in Hollywood and the Gnarly Magic of ‘Send Help’ · 1:31:38 · Amanda Dobbins (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Bradley Cooper: A joke about surviving Aloha and Joy: this guy survived them.
“This guy survived Aloha and joy.”
The Big Picture · The 10 Most Misused Stars in Hollywood and the Gnarly Magic of ‘Send Help’ · 1:34:35 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)
fun, about Bradley Cooper: Took on nine or ten jobs on A Star Is Born yet was not allowed on stage for the one award it won.
“Bradley Cooper took on like 9 or 10 different jobs in this movie and the one award that this movie won.”
The Big Picture · Oscars 2019: Instant Reactions to ‘Green Book’ and the Two Warring Academies | The Oscars Show (Ep. 131) · 0:57:17 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)