Bradley Cooper says he was “embarrassed” about Oscar snub

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Come Oscar Sunday Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut A STAR IS BORN will compete for eight Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Lady Gaga and Best Actor for himself. One shocking snub on the morning of the nominations was Cooper not getting nominated for Best Director, which he was heavily expected to receive. He had been a fixture in the category at other award ceremonies, including the Directors Guild of America and the Golden Globes, making his absence all the more surprising. The actor/director recently spoke about what it was like to not be nominated for directing, admitting it left him feeling “embarrassed.”

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Cooper was speaking with Oprah Winfrey during her SuperSoul Conversations special when the topic of the Oscars came up, and he opened up about how not getting nominated in the category made him feel like he “didn’t do my part.”

“I’m never surprised about not getting anything. But it’s funny you ask this, because I’ve thought about this. I was with my friend at a coffee shop in New York City, and I looked down at my phone, and Nicole [Caruso, Cooper’s publicist] had texted me congratulations on these other things but didn’t tell me the bad news. And I went, ‘Oh, wow.’ And the first thing I felt was embarrassment, actually. Think about it. I felt embarrassed that I didn’t do my part.”

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However, he reflected on the feeling, saying, “Even if I got the nomination, it should not give me any sense of whether I did my job or not. That’s the trick, to make something that you believe in.”

He continued, saying he didn’t set out to make a movie that would get nominated for awards, but rather to tell a human story that would connect with people in a real way, and he believes he did that.

“The only thing I set out to do was to tap into as an authentic place as possible — in myself and everybody I asked to make this movie — to tell a human story of people who are going to deal with their family life, trauma as a child, addiction in a real way, love in this life and finding your voice.”

Of course, we all know it doesn't matter if you get nominated or not. Cooper directed one of the most talked-about and loved movies of the year, and one that made tons of cash, to boot. No one can say he didn't make a good movie that won't be remembered, and a golden trophy doesn't affect that at all. 

A STAR IS BORN competes for numerous other Oscars on February 24.