Bradley Cooper and Matt Bomer filmMaestro(2023).Photo: Steve Sands/NewYorkNewswire/Bauer-Griffin/Shutterstock
Bradley CooperandMatt Bomerare getting into character.
The actors were photographed locking lips on the set ofMaestroin New York City Monday, both dressed in what looked to be business attire.
Cooper, 47, appeared as a younger version of his real-life character in the film,Leonard Bernstein, as he was devoid of the transformational makeup used for Bernstein’s older version.
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Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein inMaestro(2023).Netflix
Late last month, Netflix debutedfirst-look photos ofMaestro, which showed the nine-timeOscarnominee unrecognizable as an aged Bernstein and Mulligan, 37, who plays the late composer’s wife Felicia Montealegre.
The upcoming film marks Cooper’s return to directing after making his debut with 2018’sA Star Is Born. In January, he teasedMaestroduring a conversation withMahershala AliforVariety, explaining that he personally “wanted to be a conductor since I was a kid.”
Cooper said at the time, “I was obsessed with it, asked Santa Claus for a baton when I was 8. Listening to music, falling in love with it and being able to really know every single moment of a piece, like Tchaikovsky’s Opus 35 in D major, this violin concerto.”
“I could do it as if I know everything about it without really being able to speak the language, obviously,” he added.
TheNightmare Alleystar also explained how he took on directing duties forMaestroafterSteven Spielbergwas originally attached to it.
“I always knew that Steven Spielberg knew that I had this obsession with conducting,” said Cooper. “He had this biopic idea and was talking to me about potentially acting in it. But I had just been working onA Star Is Born. And I said, ‘Listen, all I want to dois write and direct movies. I always felt like I could play a conductor, but may I research the material and see if I can write it and direct it? Would you let me do that?’ "
“Steven has a lot of interests — he’ll just choose one thing and all of the other things will be on hold. I think he knew he wasn’t going to make that movie for a while,” he added. “He was kind enough to hand it off to me, and that’s what I’ve been doing for the last four and a half years, and we start shooting in May.”
Maestro, which also countsMartin Scorseseand Spielberg, 75, among the producers, is expected to debut in 2023.
source: people.com