Bradley Cooper Discusses De Niro, Sexiest Man Alive, and His New Movie

Rydal native Bradley Cooper, the A list star of the "Hangover," "A Team," and Limitless," was at the Four Seasons Hotel today after last night's Philadelphia premiere of his new movie, "The Words". The Sexiest Man Alive (according to People Magazine) did not disappoint. He is better looking than his pictures. If you are also in contention for the sexiest honor, you should know that the moniker has not boasted his career. Answering the reporter that had the temerity to ask, he said, "It is only made me the butt of the jokes."

In this movie, Cooper plays a struggling writer that becomes a best- selling author after he plagiarizes a manuscript that he found. Having been a struggling actor, he could relate to his character being a struggling writer except for one difference.

He said, "In the movie, Rory kept all his rejection letters. There must have been thousands. I would never been that masochist to keep them.

Cooper, who is an avid tennis player that had been been watching the US open between interviews, described the moral dilemma presented in the movie this way:  "Rory (his character) won because the other guy double faulted. I want to win because I won."

Jeremy Irons plays his father in the movie while Zoe Saldana is his supportive wife. Cooper got involved in the movie because his best friend, Brian Klugman, co-wrote the screenplay in 1999. The two friends still talk 5 times a day. 

Klugman, who is the nephew of actor Jack Klugman, co-wrote the screenplay and co - directed "The Words" with Lee Sternthal. Klugman and Sternthal met at Pine Forest Camp in the Poconos Mountains as young children. Cooper joked that being Italian he was not invited to the camp. 

Klugman nominated him for a more meaningful award - best friend of the year. 

Klugman said, "Bradley has been really great. He was cast in this film 4 years ago before the "Hangover" came out. He had a lot of opportunities after the success of the "Hangover," but he still found time to make the movie."

Critics have said that Cooper has turned in one of the best performances of his career in "The Words". He credited this to the trust that he had in the directors.

Cooper, who constantly deferred to his friends during the interview, said, "Making the movie was a dream come true. When we were kids hanging out at my house watching movies like "Apocalypse Now," this was our dream."

Even Cooper, who is now a big Hollywood star, admitted to still having a starstruck moment when he acted beside Jeremy Irons in the film.

Cooper said, "In the beginning, when you hear that voice you think wow this is Jeremy Irons. Then after a while, you get used to it. Robert De Niro (who he starred in "Limitless" with)  is Bob to me now. I never thought I would be calling Robert De Niro Bob."

He described acting with big stars as "effortless" because "you are both on the same team".

If you are looking for a sighting of Cooper this Labor Day Weekend, a good bet might be Brigantine. His family has owned a house there since 1960.