Summary
- Bradley Cooper wasn't the first choice to direct Maestro, but Steven Spielberg convinced him he had what it takes to helm the film.
- Despite being a relatively new director, Spielberg saw potential in Cooper's ability to capture the essence of the story, just like he did in A Star is Born.
- Cooper aims to create a narrative that goes beyond a traditional biopic, building on the foundation that caught Spielberg's attention in his previous film.
When it came to directing Maestro, Bradley Cooper had one big Hollywood director in his corner. After his directorial debut, A Star is Born, graced the screens in 2018, Cooper is returning to directing five years later with his film Maestro. The movie will explore the life, love, and career of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein, whom Cooper plays in the film alongside a ing cast of Carey Mulligan, Maya Hawke, and Matt Bomer.
According to producer Kristie Macosko Krieger via Deadline, director Steven Spielberg helped push Cooper to direct the Maestro. Spielberg had been set to direct Maestro with Cooper starring, but as he pivoted to direct West Side Story instead, Cooper suggested that he be able to “throw [his] hat in the ring.” Cooper then sat down with Spielberg in 2018 to show him the beginnings of A Star is Born. It was then that Spielberg said one critical sentence to urge Cooper to direct the Bernstein flick: “You are directing this movie, you must direct Maestro.” Check out the full quote from Krieger below:
Well he invited me, Josh, and Steven to watch it long before the film came out, and Steven watched the movie and like 20 minutes into the film sort of creeped over and he said “You are directing this movie, you must direct Maestro.” So, then that’s in 2018 at that point. The rights were lapsing to the project and Bradley had to convince the Bernstein family that he was the right person to take on the project. And so, he went to the family. He got the rights. He’s now directing and producing, and they realize he would handle this film with intricate care, detail. He really went to the family and sold himself on this and then it was like okay now we’re going to make this movie, and Bradley didn’t want to make a biopic.
Bradley Cooper Wasn’t the First Pick to Direct Maestro, But Is He The Right Choice?
Spielberg wasn’t the first director to be attached to Maestro before moving on. At one point, Maestro was set to be directed by Martin Scorsese, before being ed off to Spielberg and then Cooper. Scorsese and Spielberg have both stayed on as producers on Maestro since ing the reins to Cooper.
ing off Maestro to Cooper is no small choice for the production. Both Scorsese and Spielberg are far more veteran directors, seasoned in the art of high-profile drama, whereas Cooper is only on his second directorial effort. Nonetheless, A Star is Born seemed to instill in Spielberg that the actor/director had what it takes to succeed in filming a movie on the scale of Maestro.
Spielberg has good reason to think that Cooper's sensibilities might translate well to Maestro. In those captivating first 20 minutes of A Star is Born, Cooper already shows his ability to portray a simultaneous respect for music and the electricity of a love’s first sparks. So too will Cooper aim to do in Maestro, for as Krieger explained, the director “didn’t want to make a biopic.” Instead, Cooper is crafting a narrative that has the potential to take the foundation of A Star is Born that caught Spielberg’s eye.
Source: Deadline
