Happy Birthday Bradley Cooper!
Bradley Cooper is a producer and three-time Academy Award-nominated actor of stage, film and television. Cooper serves as an executive producer on LIMITLESS and recurs on the series as Senator Edward Morra, a reprisal of his role in the titular 2011 Relativity Media feature film which he produced.
Currently, Cooper is starring on-stage in a production of “The Elephant Man” in the West End at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London through August. The Broadway run of the play received five 2015 Tony Award nominations and for his portrayal, Cooper received a 2015 Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, as well as Outer Critics Circle, Drama League and Drama Desk Award nominations. In 2012, Cooper performed the role on the Nikos Stage at the Williamstown Theatre Festival alongside the same cast and director, Scott Ellis.
Cooper’s additional theater credits include his 2006 Broadway debut in the Joe Montello production of “Three Days of Rain,” opposite Julia Roberts and Paul Rudd, and the 2008 Theresa Rebeck play, “The Understudy,” at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Cooper received a Best Actor Academy Award nomination in 2012 for his role in the eight-time Academy Award-nominated Weinstein Company drama “Silver Linings Playbook,” directed by David O. Russell. In addition, he was recognized by the National Board of Review for Best Actor and won the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor in a Comedy for his performance. Cooper also received Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, Independent Spirit and BAFTA Award nominations for the role.
Cooper received his second Academy Award nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category for his portrayal of unhinged FBI Agent Richie DiMaso in the David O. Russell drama “American Hustle.” Additionally, the role earned Cooper BAFTA, Broadcast Film Critics Association, Satellite and Golden Globe Award nominations. The cast received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
Cooper’s third Academy Award nomination came in 2014 for his performance as celebrated U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle in the feature film “American Sniper,” directed by Clint Eastwood. The top grossing film of 2014, the movie was an adaptation of Chris Kyle’s autobiography, American Sniper: The Autobiography Of The Most Lethal Sniper In U.S. Military History. Cooper produced the film adaptation after optioning the book in 2012 under his production company. In addition to Cooper’s Academy Award nomination for the role, he received a Producers Guild Award nomination and won a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award and an MTV Movie Award.
In March 2012, Cooper and Warner Bros. entered into a two-year first look deal for his Production Company, 22nd & Indiana Pictures. In May 2014, Cooper joined forces with longtime friend and partner Todd Phillips to form the production company 22nd & Green as producing partners for a three-year, first-look production deal with Warner Bros. Pictures.
Cooper is well known for starring alongside Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis in “The Hangover” movie trilogy, all directed by Todd Phillips, his current production partner at 22nd & Green. He appeared in Cameron Crowe’s “Aloha,” and will next been seen in the Weinstein Company’s “Adam Jones,” in theaters Oct. 8. Recently, he finished production on two films, the comedy “Arms and the Dudes,” which he is producing under 22nd & Green, and the David O. Russell’s drama “Joy,” coming out in December.
Cooper’s additional film credits include “The Place Beyond the Pines,” “The Words,” “The A-Team,” “New York I Love You,” “He’s Just Not That Into You,” “Hit and Run,” “Yes Man,” “All About Steve,” “Wedding Crashers,” “Wet Hot American Summer” and “Serena.” Cooper also lent his voice for the character Rocket Raccoon in Disney and Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
On television, Cooper played Will Tippin on the hit J.J. Abrams series “Alias” for five seasons. This summer, Cooper reprised his role as Ben in the Netflix remake of “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp,” an eight-episode series. His additional television credits include guest starring roles in “Nip/Tuck,” “Kitchen Confidential,” “Jack & Bobby,” “Touching Evil,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Trial by Jury” and “Sex and the City.”
Cooper was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pa. He graduated with honors from the English program at Georgetown University. Cooper went on to obtain a Masters of Fine Arts from the Actors Studio Drama School in New York City. His birthday is Jan. 5.