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You won’t catch Bradley Cooper sitting down on the job – as he’s really not a fan of chairs.
The 48-year-old recently directed Maestro, the biographical drama about conductor Leonard Bernstein, while also starring in the lead role.
The flick has already racked up a string of award nominations, with Bradley – who was joined at the premiere by his adorable daughter, Lea – tipped for Oscars success.
However, lifting the lid on his filmmaking process in a new interview with Spike Lee, he explained why his efforts may be a little different to others, including his lack of seating options on set.
‘I spent 20 years acting in movies. I was lucky enough that I had filmmakers who recognized that I don’t think like an actor – that I actually think in terms of the whole story,’ he said in the latest instalment of Variety’s Directors on Directors series.
‘They were generous enough to allow me to come with them on their journey. I was in one role for so many years, [but in fact] I was a sort of quarterback, really getting to know the plays and reading defense.
Bradley Cooper acted in – and directed – Maestro (Picture: Netflix)
‘I was a filmmaker, but I was in the position of an actor.’
Spike clarified: ‘You were calling the plays from the sidelines, not up in the booth?’
‘That’s right,’ he replied. ‘And I learned how to help the director by being on the field. For me, it was such a natural transition, once I had the courage to write and direct a movie.
‘But when I direct, I don’t watch playback. There’s no chairs. I’ve always hated chairs on sets; your energy dips the minute you sit down in a chair. There’s no video village.’
Bradley spoke of ‘hating’ chairs (Picture: Getty)
The actor/director spoke of his efforts behind the camera (Picture: FilmMagic)
To be fair, there wasn’t a huge amount of time for Bradley to sit while working on Maestro, as he served as actor, director, writer and producer.
The acclaimed drama, arriving on Netflix on December 20, also starred Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke and Michael Urie.
It delved into the long-term relationship between the acclaimed composer and his wife, Felicia (Carey), and how their family was impacted by his success.
Bradley has been tipped for success with Maestro (Picture: GC Images)
As his star continued to rise, his journey to become ‘the first great American conductor’ led to his personal life crumbling behind the scenes.
The official synopsis reads: ‘Maestro is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein.
‘A love letter to life and art, Maestro at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love.’
Maestro premieres on Netflix on December 20.
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