And that's just the tip of the iceberg for the 34-year-old actor: He's also rumored to be the top contender to play the titular superhero in 'The Green Lantern' (though in response to this possibility he simply says, "I don't know") and the notoriously good-looking "Face" in the upcoming 'A-Team' movie.
In an exclusive interview, Cooper dishes on going blow-for-comedy-blow with Mike Tyson, flirting with Julia Roberts on a plane ... and having a naked man's junk shoved in his face. -- By Tom DiChiara
Bradley Cooper Photos
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - MAY 31: Actor Bradley Cooper arrives at the 18th Annual MTV Movie Awards held at the Gibson Amphitheatre on May 31, 2009 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bradley Cooper
Getty Images
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - MAY 31: Actor Bradley Cooper arrives at the 18th Annual MTV Movie Awards held at the Gibson Amphitheatre on May 31, 2009 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bradley Cooper
Getty Images
Bradley Cooper visits MuchOnDemand at the MuchMusic HQ on May 26, 2009 in Toronto, Canada. Bradley Cooper Visitis MuchOnDemand MuchMusic HQ Toronto, ON Canada May 26, 2009 Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage.com To license this image (57538632), contact WireImage.com
George Pimentel/WireImage.com
Actor Bradley Cooper, a cast member in the upcoming film "The Hangover," poses for a portrait, Saturday, May 16, 2009 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
AP
Actor Bradley Cooper, a cast member in the upcoming film "The Hangover," poses for a portrait, Saturday, May 16, 2009 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
AP
Actors Bradley Cooper, left, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms, cast members in the upcoming film "The Hangover," pose for a portrait, Saturday, May 16, 2009 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
AP
Actors Bradley Cooper, left, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms, cast members in the upcoming film "The Hangover," pose for a portrait, Saturday, May 16, 2009 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
AP
LAS VEGAS - MAY 15: Actor Bradley Cooper participates in a charity poker tournament at Caesars Palace hosted by Warner Bros. Pictures featuring cast members from the film "The Hangover" to benefit Opportunity Village May 15, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Caesars Palace served as the location for many scenes of the comedy, which opens nationwide in the United States on June 5. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bradley Cooper
Getty Images
LAS VEGAS - MAY 15: Actor Bradley Cooper participates in a charity poker tournament at Caesars Palace hosted by Warner Bros. Pictures featuring cast members from the film "The Hangover" to benefit Opportunity Village May 15, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Caesars Palace served as the location for many scenes of the comedy, which opens nationwide in the United States on June 5. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bradley Cooper
Getty Images
LAS VEGAS - MAY 15: Actor Bradley Cooper participates in a charity poker tournament at Caesars Palace hosted by Warner Bros. Pictures featuring cast members from the film "The Hangover" to benefit Opportunity Village May 15, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Caesars Palace served as the location for many scenes of the comedy, which opens nationwide in the United States on June 5. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bradley Cooper
Getty Images
Filming this movie must have been rough, what with hitting the Vegas casinos and clubs and your characters staying in the 'Rain Man' suite. What was your favorite part of the shoot?
The movie as a whole was just an awesome experience. It was like we did a war movie almost [laughs]. Because we lived in Vegas in Caesar's Palace and played these guys who got the s*** kicked out of ourselves. To be able to do that with Todd Phillips and Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms, it was just amazing.
You had to do some pretty out there stuff -- fighting with a naked dude, pretend humping a tiger, etc. Were there any scenes that were particularly awkward to shoot?
I think it was awkward more for the crew to watch a naked Asian man's testicles dangle in front of my neck 40 or 50 times [laughs]. But for some reason I didn't realize how sort of ridiculous it all was. I know Ken [Jeong, the owner of the Asian testicles]. He's a really good friend of mine. We did a movie called 'All About Steve' together, so it was his idea to be naked, and as he was pitching that to Todd, and it was like, "Whooooa. Okaaaay." And then I didn't even have a second thought about it. It wound up really making that scene. I think it's one of the funniest scenes in the movie, actually.
During the tiger scenes, did you ever feel like you were in danger?
Luckily, we didn't have to do anything outrageous to it at all, other than it living in an unnatural environment with humans and being on a leash. So whatever its aggravated state was normally, we had to live with. But, you know, you never get used to it. It's a tiger.
When you weren't filming, did you and the guys take advantage of the debauchery that was conveniently right at your fingertips?
You know, all the craziest stuff we did in Vegas while we were filming the movie is going to be in theaters on June 5. That's where the craziness happened. It's hard to come from a day's work when you've been running around with a baby that you don't know who it belongs to, in a cop car driving on a sidewalk with a tiger -- and then top that. You know, what are you going to do: go and get drunk in a strip club? That's pretty lame compared to what we had to shoot that day [laughs].What's Mike Tyson like in person? Did you get to hang out with him off-camera?
We did actually. Shooting this movie was long hours with a lot of waiting around and setting up lights, so you're spending 16-17 hour days with the people you act with. So I did get to know him a little bit, as much as you get to know people working with them -- and I can't say enough about that guy. He was fantastic. It's hard to go into a movie, jump into a comedy especially like this one, and work three days and sort of immerse yourself and leave your mark -- and he certainly did that. I don't think singing is his strongest suit, but it doesn't really matter [laughs].
Have you ever been to a bachelor party that rivaled the stuff that happened in this movie?
No, I've never even been to one that one would define as "raucous." The only bachelor party that I've ever been to was in Palm Springs with five guys playing golf.
There's already a 'Hangover' sequel being prepped. Any idea what the plot is going to be? And will you all be back?I've heard that, too, but there's nothing set. We'll just focus on this movie first and see how it does. But I would certainly do eight more 'Hangovers' because it's very rare that you get to work with people that you love and in a project that you just love. Magic sort of happened on set with this movie, and I would love to do it again.
It was just announced that you're playing a gay man dating a closeted pro football player in the romantic comedy 'Valentine's Day.' What got you interested in the part?
You know, I have a really small role. It's like two days I'm doing on that movie, and it was really just the opportunity to play it with Julia Roberts. I did a play with her about three years ago. And I thought it would be great -- it's a really sort of sweet relationship between these two people on a plane. So it's a quick little thing I'm going to do and be able to work with her on film. I'm excited for that. In terms of the fact that that's the character kind of gives away the -- I don't know why they were able to release that because it kind of ruins the story a little bit. We don't know that he's gay. At least you're not supposed to -- the way I read it. I guess they don't care [laughs].
Summer 2009 Comedies
Summer Comedy Movies
Judd Apatow directing Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen as stand-up comedians ... Harold Ramis directing Jack Black and Michael Cera as inept cavemen ... Sacha Baron Cohen shocking even more innocent bystanders ... No, you haven't died and gone to comedy heaven. Or maybe you have.
From gigolos to Sleestaks and everything in between, read on to see which comedies you'll be quoting from this summer until the next summer rolls around.
Universa(2)l/ Sony/ Getty Images
'Next Day Air'
Opening: May 8
Starring: Donald Faison, Mike Epps, Mos Def
What It's About: When Faison and Mos Def's slacker parcel men accidentally deliver a giant box filled with cocaine to lowly criminals Epps and Wood Harris, gangsters are out to hurt them all (and by "hurt," we mean "kill"). It's a crime thriller with comedic elements -- it's sort of like a Guy Ritchie flick, except with a mostly African-American cast.
More on 'Next Day Air':
Summit Entertainment
'Dance Flick'
Opening: May 22
Starring: Damon Wayans Jr., Craig Wayans, Shoshanna Bush
What It's About: The Wayans clan couldn't sit back and let Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, the "minds" behind 'Epic Movie,' 'Date Movie,' 'Disaster Movie,' etc., corner the spoof market. Thus their latest effort, which sends up the 'Save the Last Dance' and 'Step Up' subgenre, and introduces fresh Wayanses (try saying that one fast) Craig and Damon Jr.
More on 'Dance Flick':
Paramount
'Year One'
Opening: June 19
Starring: Jack Black, Michael Cera, Olivia Wilde
What It's About: Think 'Superbad' meets 'Forrest Gump,' set in caveman times, starring Judd Apatow regulars, directed by comedy great Harold Ramis. Black and Cera play inept hunter-gatherers who set off for epic adventure when they're banished from their village. They meet biblical figures (David Cross, David Cross, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Hank Azaria), a hottie princess and a sexy slave (Wilde and June Diane Raphael) ... and leave their footprints on history.
More on 'Year One':
Get 'Superbad':
Sony
'Land of the Lost'
Opening: June 5
Starring: Will Ferrell, Anna Friel, Danny McBride
What It's About: Ferrell heads up this remake of the cult '70s Saturday-morning time-travel adventure. We were growing weary of Ferrell's sports spoofs, so we're excited for his take on the surreal show we loved to sort of hate (even as young 'uns, we recognized cheesy effects when we saw 'em). But even greater than our curiosity about Ferrell is the undying appeal of one word, drawing us like a Siren song to the theater: Sleestaks. Oh, and remember Chaka? Color us nostalgic.
More on 'Land of the Lost':
Get the original 'Land of the Lost':
Universal
'The Hangover'
Opening: June 5
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Heather Graham
What It's About: Todd Phillips ('Old School,' 'Road Trip') revisits the theme of boys behaving badly with a Vegas bachelor party gone awry -- which leads to hangovers, spotty memories and a missing groom-to-be (Justin Bartha). Will the three groomsmen reclaim their best friend and deliver him to the altar in time? If Philips' previous movies are any indication, there'll be plenty of raucousness, a touch of male-bonding sweetness, and at least 12 lines that call for "earmuffs."
More on 'The Hangover':
Get 'Old School':
Warner Bros.
'Bruno'
Opening: July 10
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen
What It's About: If you're under the assumption that there's no way Sacha Baron Cohen could top the envelope-pushing humor of his '06 hit 'Borat,' you probably haven't watched the red-band trailer for 'Bruno.' Once again paired with director Larry Charles, Cohen adopts the persona of a gay Austrian fashionista to wreak havoc on unsuspecting victims with antics that include destroying a fashion show, naming his adopted African-American baby OJ and using a prosthetic penis as a weapon. And that's just the stuff that's safe to print.
More on 'Bruno':
Get 'Borat':
Universal
'Funny People'
Opening: July 31
Starring: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Jason Schwartzman
What It's About: Writer-director Judd Apatow, who redefined the rom-com with 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin' and 'Knocked Up,' returns with his most dramatic flick yet. Sandler stars as a successful comedian who, after learning he has only a year to live, enters into a life-altering bromance with a struggling comic (Rogen). Sandler's character reevaluates his priorities, trying to win back the one that got away (Mann) -- and hopefully making audiences pee their pants laughing in the process.
More on 'Funny People':
Get 'Knocked Up':
Universal
'The Goods: The Don Ready Story'
Opening: August 14
Starring: Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, Ed Helms, James Brolin
What It's About: Taking cues from his Emmy-winning TV gig as a smarmy agent ('Entourage'), Piven plays title character Don Ready, the ultimate car salesman. Ready can seal the deal on any motor vehicle but has issues smooth-talking when it comes to the woman of his dreams.
More on 'The Goods':
Get 'Entourage':
Paramount Vantage
'Post Grad'
Opening: August 14
Starring: Alexis Bledel, Zach Gilford, Michael Keaton
What It's About: Recent college grad Ryden (Bledel), lacking a job or any real prospects, is forced to move back in with her oddball family and figure out a new path for herself. She may be experiencing an early-life crisis, but nothing helps the blow like a longtime best friend ('Friday Night Lights' star Gilford) ... and maybe some My Little Pony bedsheets.
More on 'Post Grad':
Get 'Friday Night Lights':
Fox Atomic
Reader Comments (31)
SHY1 at 6:26AM on Jun 4th 2009
WELL I AM NOT SURPRISED. EVERYTHING IMMORAL, DISGUSTING IS WHAT SELLS THESE DAYS. SNIFFING ANOTHER MAN'S TESTICLES AND HUMPING A TIGER. THAT IS SICK. BUT OF COURSE IN THIS POLITICALLY CORRECT SOCIETY IT WILL BE HILARIOUS.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
JESUS IS LORD
contactjmr at 11:39AM on Jun 4th 2009
You are a deranged idiot
Sovaki at 2:54PM on Jun 4th 2009
Angelina Jolie sex tape: http://tr.im/mYf9
laylay77 at 12:04PM on Jun 7th 2009
SHY 1 REALLY??? GET OVER IT ITS A MOVIE WHICH MEANS ENTERTAINMENT TO HAVE FUN SOMETHING APPARENTLY YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT!!! LOOKS LIKE YOU NEED TO GET LAID.
dawn at 5:02PM on Jun 7th 2009
See the movie! He doesn't sniff the guys testicles, and the scene is part of one of the most hilarious parts of this very funny movie! Geesh! Get over yourselves, people!
mitch at 12:29PM on Jun 26th 2009
What's up with all of these religious zealots posting on a movie site???
If that's how you feel, why are you reading this? Go to Bible study or something.
jeffrey_p_20002000 at 2:39PM on Jun 5th 2009
we dont need any more of this gay garbage in movies, celebrities advertisements.Think about it ,you really think two men should be together ,or two women, its sick.Its a sick perversion, that keeps getting thrown in peoples faces. No wonder kids are so f***ed up today. Men shouldnt be doing things to each other in the anus, or mouth,you people think thats natural, are you out of your minds...Its time to clean up all this same sex garbage.Have some sexual morals the right way like a man and a women... ""O gay people have rights to ,,stickum where they like um where the sun dont shine....
tomas at 9:13AM on Jun 4th 2009
Wow, these two posters have al lot of issues re: gays. You know what they say, the louder the homophobe the bigger the queer. lol
daved at 4:08PM on Jun 4th 2009
you sir are a grade A moron and the reason that kids are F*&ked up are because of people like you !! hatred is not a good trait!
johnnybic at 8:53AM on Jun 4th 2009
jeffery,
You spend entirely too much time worrying about what men do with their penises. Men who dwell on such matters are usually called something--now, let me think.......oh, i know! They're called GAY!
Let's make a deal, jeffery. I won't think about what you do with your tiny little bit of manhood if you stop thinking about my incredibly sized "what-do-you-think-you're-going-to-do-with-that" male appendage.
John in Philadelphia
samusaran88 at 9:09AM on Jun 4th 2009
Jeffrey, you need to realize first off A) homosexuality exists among animals, ANIMALS, I repeat. How is that f***ed up? Then B) You have no right commenting on something so particular as homosexuality if you aren't one yourself. It's like Hitler saying that all non-Aryans are inferior when he himself didn't qualify as an Aryan.
I personally think the world is messed up because people can say whatever they please on the internet, but then when it comes to really standing up for what you believe in, you fall flat on your ass in the real world because you don't have the guts to say it. Recklessly sharing your hate for others who you don't understand makes you sound like a bigot instead of an intelligent well-thought out individual. I believe Lincoln put it best: It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.
LaVerne Harvey at 12:57AM on Jun 5th 2009
Proverbs 17:28 Is where that quote "it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt." It's often attributed to Lincoln or Twain, but it is basically a quote from the Bible. So maybe Lincoln knew it from the bible and quoted it, but he wasn't being original.
LaVerne Harvey
crksr at 9:23AM on Jun 4th 2009
He is just another closet homo.
JP at 10:00AM on Jun 4th 2009
It's guy humor, and it's not trying to be gay. If he had a big smile on his face and started kissing the guy's genitals, THAT would be gay. But that is extreme GUY humor, what often happens when there are no women around. It's humiliating and gross for the person it's happening to, but HILARIOUS (or gross) for the crowd. Think of it this way, is it a homosexual act if a guy goes and sticks his ass in another guy's face...and farts? NO! It's guy-funny. What about when the movie shows a man thrown onto a fat woman who is more that delighted to have the disgusted man wedged between her boobs? Is that heterosexual in nature or is the guy GAY for being grossed out? And before we get all "gays are ruining our culture," potty humor goes on all the time between straight men and has since the beginning of time. We are just so sexually charged that we think everything is about sex. People, it's a mild, distant form of hazing, getting your kicks from watching another's humiliation. Isn't that why we all click on these crazy AOL stories?
JP at 10:03AM on Jun 4th 2009
It's guy humor, and it's not trying to be gay. If he had a big smile on his face and started kissing the guy's genitals, THAT would be gay. But this is extreme GUY humor, what often happens when there are no women around. It's humiliating and gross for the person it's happening to, but HILARIOUS (or gross) for the crowd. Think of it this way, is it a homosexual act if a guy goes and sticks his ass in another guy's face...and farts? NO! It's guy-funny. What about when the movie shows a man thrown onto a fat woman who is more that delighted to have the disgusted man wedged between her boobs? Is that heterosexual in nature or is the guy GAY for being grossed out? And before we get all "gays are ruining our culture," potty humor goes on all the time between straight men and has since the beginning of time. We are just so sexually charged that we think everything is about sex. People, it's a mild, distant form of hazing, getting your kicks from watching another's humiliation. Isn't that why we all click on these crazy AOL stories?
GoodbyeUSA at 10:28AM on Jun 4th 2009
JP, great point, it's not gay, just adult potty humor. Don't like it, don't watch it.
GoodbyeUSA at 10:28AM on Jun 4th 2009
samusaran88 is probably one of the most ignorant people I've heard. In no way shape or form is homosexuality NATURAL, even in animals. Yes, animals do get confused and horney from time to time and may stick it in another male animal. That's why they are animals, you can't compare them to humans. You don't get anything out of gay sex, but heterosexual sex gives you children. I mean think about it, how dumb do you have to be? Homosexuality is not natural. What's the point of sex, to reproduce. You can't do that with two penises or two vaginas. C'mon people, does everyone have downsyndrome, to where they can't logically observe things, it's common sense. Ohh, but you can't hurt anyone's feelings, SCREW THAT!!!
contactjmr at 11:50AM on Jun 4th 2009
GoodbyeUSA, you need to check your facts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_in_animals
GoodbyeUSA at 2:09PM on Jun 4th 2009
contactjmr, I feel sorry for you. You think wikipedia is a reliable source. The so called "facts" on Wikipedia can be edited by anyone. I can put that Bigfoot was our president, or that the internet was invented by pokemon. That's the same reason we have people all over this country that say one thing and truly believe in another, it's the media. People believe whatever they hear on the TV, which (especially nowadays) usually gives you false facts or partial facts so you'll believe what they want you to believe. I feel sorry for those people that can't rationally think for themselves, and by you telling me to "check my facts" on Wikipedia, I see that you are one of those people. "You" need to check your facts. Animals are animals, they don't think like we do. That's why every now and again you see them humping the air. They get horney and don't know what to do. It's just that sometimes there's another animal to take that airs place. The animal is not gay, just confused. Just like prisons, eventually after not having any women around, the male inmates may look at another male inmate "differently", that don't mean their gay, just horney. There is no gene that makes you gay, just how you are raised, whether it be neglect, harrassment, living with only women, or maybe their just out for attention. If everyone was taught to like the opposite sex, and lived in good, positive households, there would be only a fraction of gays there are today. Homosexuality is not a way of life, it's a way of confusion.
John at 10:39AM on Jun 4th 2009
Jeffrey,
You spend entirely too much time thinking about what men do with their penises. There's a word for people who do that . . . now let me see, I'm thinking, I'm thinking. Oh, I know! It's called being GAY.
Let's make deal. I'll stop thinking about your [probably] tiny piece of manhood if you stop thinking about my incredibly sized "what-do-you-think-you're-going-to-do-with-that" man monster.
John in Philadelphia