Bradley Cooper SLAMS Hollywood’s awards season as ‘utterly meaningless’

After receiving dozens of nominations throughout his illustrious career as an actor and director, Bradley Cooper has slammed awards season as ‘utterly meaningless.’ 

In an interview with Anthony Ramos for Interview Magazine, Cooper and his A Star is Born co-star chatted about quarantining, their shared experience working on A Star Is Born and how an artistic production of any kind is a truly a collaborative effort. 

That ultimately led them to touch on ego and vanity amidst the Hollywood awards season machine, and how singling someone out from an artistic project like a film can make it difficult to stay grounded.     

Bradley Cooper, 45, shared about why he thinks awards season is ‘utterly meaningless’

Ramos, who also starred in Lin Manuel’s original production of Hamilton, both off-Broadway and on Broadway, set up the conversation by throwing out what he feels can be the typical mindset after being nominated.

‘It’s about me. I’m the only one here from my cast, so it’s only me,’ Ramos said, which invoked the sarcastic response: ‘I must be special,’ from Cooper.

Ramos, 28, remarked how nominees are really ‘a representation of the story’ that some 150 to 200 told together as a team.

A Star Is Born: In an interview with Anthony Ramos for Interview Magazine , Cooper and his A Star is Born co-star chatted about quarantining, their shared experience working on A Star Is Born and how an artistic production of any kind is a truly a collaborative effort

Cooper discussed a number of subjects, including the fallacy behind stardom, during an interview with actor Anthony Ramos for Interview Magazine

Cooper agreed and added, ‘That awards season stuff is a real test. It’s set up to foster that mentality. It’s quite a thing to work through, and it’s completely devoid of artistic creation.’

The Pennsylvania native, 45, went on to emphasize how acting and directing is more about passion, rather than awards and accolades. 

‘It’s not why you sacrifice everything to create art, and yet you spend so much time being a part of it if you’re, in quotes, “lucky enough to be a part of it.”’

Cooper continued, ‘It’s ultimately a great thing because it really does make you face ego, vanity, and insecurity. It’s very interesting and utterly meaningless.’ 

His humble take: The Pennsylvania native, who starred and helmed A Star Is Born, went on to emphasize how acting and directing is more about passion, rather than awards and accolades; he is pictured with co-star Lady Gaga

Some of Cooper’s many award nominations includes eight Academy Awards, eight British Academy Film Awards, and six Golden Globe Awards, which resulted in one win: the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music which he shared with co-star Lady Gaga.  

He also won two Grammys for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media for the song Shallow in A Star Is Born.

Cooper’s Hollywood resume of acclaimed films includes Wedding Crashers (2005), The Hangover (2009), The Place Beyond the Pines (2012), Silver Linings Playbook (2012), American Hustle (2013), American Sniper (2014), Joy (2015) and A Star Is Born (2018).       

Acclaimed: Cooper and Lady Gaga won a BAFTA for Best Film Music and two Grammys for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media for the song Shallow in A Star Is Born