Bradley Cooper Reveals His All-Time Favorite Film That He Considers a Masterpiece

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Before becoming a director, Bradley Cooper was already a well-known actor, appearing in several popular and critically acclaimed films of the 2010s. Through leading roles in movies like Limitless, Silver Linings Playbook, and American Sniper, he learned from some of the industry’s most respected professionals. This experience, combined with his formal training at the renowned Actors’ Studio under James Lipton, gave him a valuable understanding of filmmaking that he later used when he began directing.

Bradley Cooper’s experience as both an actor and director gives his opinions on film a lot of credibility. He recently shared his all-time favorite movie – the 2007 film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, directed by Julian Schnabel. He told Rotten Tomatoes that this film particularly inspired him.

The film, a critically acclaimed biopic based on the life of French journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby, is known for its unique and innovative storytelling. Bradley Cooper was particularly impressed, calling it one of the greatest films ever made and praising its stunning visuals and structure.

He also spoke highly of director Julian Schnabel, describing him as a brilliant filmmaker for his daring and inventive use of perspective. Cooper seems to have been subtly influenced by Schnabel’s style, especially when directing his film Maestro, about Leonard Bernstein.

Instead of telling the story chronologically, Cooper used changes between black-and-white and color to signal shifts in time and emotion. This focus on visual storytelling echoes the same experimental approach that he so admired in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

Bradley Cooper is currently celebrating the release of his latest film as director, Is This Thing On?, which became available digitally on February 10th. He not only directed the movie, but also produced and starred in it, alongside Will Arnett, who plays a comedian going through a midlife divorce.

Cooper plays Arnett’s best friend in the film, nicknamed “Balls,” and critics have praised it as a heartwarming, funny, and uplifting movie. This further establishes Cooper as a skilled storyteller.

Although plans for a Bullitt remake with Steven Spielberg are on hold, Cooper remains a very active figure in Hollywood, with several projects in development through his production company, Lea Pictures.

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2026-02-12 23:44