The Maestro on Netflix: Why Was Bradley Cooper’s Movie Controversial Before Its Release?

Maestro Bradley Cooper’s second film as a director, released yesterday on Netflix. The feature film sparked controversy many weeks before it aired. The appearance of the actor and the director became a subject of controversy.

Let us remind you that Maestro is a biographical film directed by Bradley Cooper, which highlights the relationship between American composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre. In addition to directing the film, Bradley Cooper stars as Leonard Bernstein and Carey Mulligan as Felicia Montealegre.

While the official trailer for Maestro was released in August 2023, the first photos from the film featuring Bradley Cooper as Berstein were released in May 2022.

Judging by the first trailer and promotional photos, many viewers appreciated the film’s aesthetic, Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan’s on-screen chemistry, and the accurate portrayal of Leonard Bernstein’s strengths as a conductor. However, despite this praise, the maestro has also drawn heavy criticism. Most of them revolve around the appearance of Bradley Cooper in the film.

Why is his appearance controversial?

For Maestro, Bradley Cooper chose to wear facial prosthetics that made his nose appear thicker. Given that Leonard Bernstein was Jewish, critics argued that Bradley Cooper’s fake nose perpetuates harmful stereotypes, reinforcing anti-Semitic persecution of Jews in the past.

Many have pointed out that the prosthetic nose was not necessary and that Bradley Cooper could have played Leonard Bernstein without it. Others also criticized the fact that a Jewish actor did not play Leonard Bernstein in the film. Faced with a new controversy, the family of the deceased composer spoke on social networks and expressed their opinion on Bradley Cooper’s appearance.

So Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre’s children Jamie, Alexander and Nina Beinstein gave their views on the controversy. They posted a heartfelt note on their father’s official Twitter account, admitting that Bradley Cooper had been contacting them “Every step of his incredible journeyWhile making a film about the late composer and his wife.

After thanking Bradley Cooper for including them in their cinematic adventure, they noted that they were touched by the actor’s commitment to the role of his father and his attachment to Leonard Bernstein’s music.

In their post, Jamie, Alexander and Nina Beinstein defended Bradley Cooper, saying they were heartbroken to see the actor’s efforts being misunderstood by so many. “It turns out that Leonard Bernstein had a big, beautiful nose. Bradley chose to use makeup to enhance his likeness and we’re totally fine with that. We are sure that the father would also agree to this“.

To silence the naysayers, the Bernstein brothers also added that they have a claim to appear in Cooper’s Maestro.There are unscrupulous attempts to bring down a successful personAnd that he could feel the respect that the actor has for his parents.

Bradley Cooper’s answer

In an appearance on CBS Mornings on November 21, Bradley Cooper broke his silence on the debate, explaining that he first considered not wearing prosthetics to enhance his features. independent.

“I thought maybe there was no need to do that.“, he said.But it’s all about balance, and, you know, my lips are nothing like Lenny’s, and neither is my chin. It did, and it didn’t look too good.“

The incredible make-up of Bradley Cooper, who has played Leonard Bernstein for four decades, was done by Kazu Hiro, a makeup artist specializing in makeup. He notably worked on the films Scandal and Darkest Hours.