Bradley Cooper names “the greatest” actor of all time
It might sound outlandish now, but there was a time when Bradley Cooper wasn’t taken too seriously as an actor, thanks in no small part to his roles in projects such as Wet Hot American Summer, Wedding Crashers and The Hangover films. However, as a testament to his dramatic skill, Cooper entered the next phase of his career after his performances in more serious titles such as Limitless and The Place Beyond the Pines. Now, Cooper has established himself as one of the best leading men in Hollywood.
Cooper has continued to display why he is one of the most sought-after in Hollywood, enjoying hits with American Hustle, American Sniper, and Joker. In 2018, he wrote, directed, produced and starred in the remake of the musical A Star Is Born. After its release, Cooper’s status was consolidated as he earned three Oscar nominations and won a BAFTA and two Grammy Awards.
There’s no surprise that Bradley Cooper has achieved such immense success, as he looks to some of the best in the business for his cues. When speaking to Metro in 2012, Cooper was asked, “Daniel Day-Lewis will be about during the awards season… Isn’t he your favourite actor?” Here, Cooper revealed that Day-Lewis remains an inspiration, saying simply: “He is the greatest”.
Per Cooper’s account, he first met Daniel Day-Lewis when working on a TV telethon for Haiti. Cooper said he “went up to him and told him how much I loved him and he was the sweetest soul”. Remarkably, the award-winning thespian told Cooper: “Oh, I loved The Hangover‘”, to which he recalled, “It was really nice. Who knows if he meant it”.
Whilst Cooper’s account of his love for Daniel Day-Lewis ended there, he’s not short of material to cite when making his case that he is “the greatest”. Although he retired after 2017’s The Phantom Thread, the English actor has won three Oscars for ‘Best Actor’ in his time.
The first was as quadriplegic artist Christy Brown in 1989s’s comedy-drama My Left Foot. The second came for his performance as the ruthless Daniel Plainview in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 period drama, There Will Be Blood. The third came after he brought American President Abraham Lincoln to life in Steven Spielberg’s 2010 biopic, Lincoln. Elsewhere, Day-Lewis has also lent his talent to Gangs of New York, The Last of the Mohicans, and In the Name of the Father.