Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Bradley Cooper
How Bradley Cooper built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Bradley Cooper is a highly acclaimed American actor and filmmaker recognized with numerous awards, including a British Academy Film Award and three Grammy Awards. He has also received multiple nominations for prestigious awards like the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award. Cooper's widespread recognition includes being featured on Forbes Celebrity 100 and Time's 100 most influential people. His successful film career has generated $13 billion worldwide, solidifying his position as one of the world's highest-paid actors.
1999: Television Debut in Sex and the City
In 1999, Bradley Cooper began his television career with a guest role in the television series Sex and the City.
2000: Presenter on Globe Trekker
In 2000, Bradley Cooper served as a presenter on the tourism series Globe Trekker, traveling to places like Peru and Croatia.
2001: Achieved Success in Alias
In 2001, Bradley Cooper achieved some success with the role of Will Tippin in the television series Alias.
2001: Film Debut and Alias Role
In 2001, Bradley Cooper made his film debut with a starring role in the comedy Wet Hot American Summer and gained recognition as Will Tippin in the television series Alias.
2001: Filmed Wet Hot American Summer
In 2001, Bradley Cooper missed his MFA graduation ceremony to film Wet Hot American Summer, marking his cinematic debut.
2002: Acted in Changing Lanes
In 2002, Bradley Cooper acted in the psychological thriller Changing Lanes, though his scenes were cut from the final version but are available on DVD and Blu-ray.
2003: Acted in Miss Match
In 2003, Bradley Cooper acted in the short-lived TV series Miss Match.
2004: Cast in Wedding Crashers
In 2004, Bradley Cooper was cast in Wedding Crashers after considering quitting acting due to an injury.
September 2005: Kitchen Confidential Debut
In September 2005, Fox debuted the sitcom Kitchen Confidential, based on a memoir by chef Anthony Bourdain, with Bradley Cooper in the leading role, but it was canceled after four episodes.
2005: Acted in Wedding Crashers
In 2005, Bradley Cooper acted in Wedding Crashers.
March 2006: Starred in Three Days of Rain on Broadway
In March 2006, Bradley Cooper starred as Pip/Theo in Three Days of Rain on Broadway with Julia Roberts and Paul Rudd.
2006: Alias Role Ends
In 2006, Bradley Cooper's role in Alias concluded after his screen time decreased and he grew frustrated, leading to him requesting his character to be written off the show.
2006: Departure from Alias
In 2006, Bradley Cooper's screen time in Alias decreased, leading to his frustration and eventual departure from the show.
2007: Appeared in Nip/Tuck
In 2007, Bradley Cooper appeared in the fifth season of Nip/Tuck as Aidan Stone, a television star on the fictional show Hearts 'N Scalpels.
2008: Starred in The Midnight Meat Train
In 2008, Bradley Cooper starred in the horror film The Midnight Meat Train, based on Clive Barker's short story.
February 2009: Hosted Saturday Night Live
In February 2009, Bradley Cooper hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest TV on the Radio.
2009: Breakthrough Role in The Hangover
In 2009, Bradley Cooper had his breakthrough role in The Hangover, a commercially successful comedy.
2009: Alzheimer's Association Campaign
In 2009, Bradley Cooper participated in an Alzheimer's Association campaign to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease.
2009: Featured in Case 39 and All About Steve
In 2009, Bradley Cooper was featured in the psychological horror Case 39 and paired with Sandra Bullock in the comedy All About Steve.
2009: Release of The Hangover
In 2009, the film The Hangover, featuring Bradley Cooper, was released to critical and commercial success.
2010: Starred in Valentine's Day and The A-Team
In June 2010, Bradley Cooper starred in the ensemble romantic comedy Valentine's Day and as Templeton "Faceman" Peck in The A-Team.
2011: Starred in Limitless and The Hangover Part II
In 2011, Bradley Cooper starred in Limitless and The Hangover Part II, furthering his career in leading roles.
2011: Doors opened, but no major change in career
In 2011, despite doors opening after The Hangover's success, Bradley Cooper mentioned his career didn't drastically change.
2011: Release of Limitless
In 2011, the film Limitless, featuring Bradley Cooper, was released to critical and commercial success.
2012: Filming Serena
In 2012, Bradley Cooper filmed "Serena" with Jennifer Lawrence, a drama directed by Susanne Bier, but the movie would not be released until 2014.
2012: Success with Silver Linings Playbook
In 2012, Bradley Cooper found greater success with the romantic comedy Silver Linings Playbook.
2012: Starred in The Place Beyond the Pines
In 2012, Bradley Cooper starred in The Place Beyond the Pines, showcasing his versatility as an actor.
2012: Starred in The Words, Hit and Run, The Place Beyond the Pines, and Silver Linings Playbook
In 2012, Bradley Cooper starred in four films: The Words, Hit and Run, The Place Beyond the Pines, and Silver Linings Playbook. These roles showcased his versatility as an actor.
2013: The Hangover Part III and American Hustle
In 2013, Bradley Cooper reprised his role in "The Hangover Part III", which was a commercial success despite negative reviews. Later in 2013, he played an FBI agent in "American Hustle", a critically and commercially successful crime comedy-drama. He received several award nominations for his performance in "American Hustle".
2013: Starred in The Hangover Part III
In 2013, Bradley Cooper starred in The Hangover Part III, the third movie in the Hangover trilogy.
2013: Starred in American Hustle
In 2013, Bradley Cooper starred in the black comedy American Hustle.
2013: Highest-Paid Actor and Forbes Ranking
In 2013, Bradley Cooper was one of the highest-paid actors in the world, earning $28 million, and Forbes ranked him first on their Celebrity 100: Ones To Watch list.
June 2014: Joins the Board of Directors for Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
In June 2014, Bradley Cooper joined the board of directors for the charity Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, which serves children with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
2014: American Sniper
In 2014, Bradley Cooper co-produced and starred in "American Sniper" as Chris Kyle. He underwent significant physical training for the role. The film was a major success, becoming Cooper's highest-grossing live-action film to date. Cooper was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
2014: The Elephant Man Broadway play
In 2014, Bradley Cooper played Joseph Merrick in The Elephant Man on Broadway.
2014: Starred in and Produced American Sniper, Broadway Role, and Marvel Role
In 2014, Bradley Cooper starred in and produced the war biopic American Sniper, portrayed Joseph Merrick in a Broadway revival of The Elephant Man, and began voicing Rocket in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
2014: Celebrity 100 Listing
In 2014, Bradley Cooper was featured on Forbes' Celebrity 100, a list based on income and popularity.
2014: Releases of Guardians of the Galaxy and American Sniper
In 2014, the films Guardians of the Galaxy and American Sniper, both featuring Bradley Cooper, were released to critical and commercial success.
2015: Broadway Revival of The Elephant Man
From 2014 to 2015, Bradley Cooper appeared in a Broadway revival of The Elephant Man, receiving a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play in 2015.
2015: Reprised role in Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp
In 2015, Bradley Cooper reprised his role in the prequel to Wet Hot American Summer, titled Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, an eight-episode Netflix series.
2015: Aloha, Burnt, and Joy
In 2015, Bradley Cooper starred in "Aloha", "Burnt", and "Joy", none of which performed well at the box office. "Aloha" was also the subject of controversy. Cooper received a Teen Choice Award nomination for "Aloha".
2015: Highest-Paid Actor and Time's Most Influential People
In 2015, Bradley Cooper was one of the highest-paid actors, earning $41.5 million, and Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
2015: Got Your 6 Speech
In 2015, Cooper spoke at The National Geographic Society for the group Got Your 6, advocating for better representation of military veterans in popular culture.
April 2016: Participation in the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy launch
In April 2016, Bradley Cooper participated in the launch of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, which works for cancer patients.
2016: 10 Cloverfield Lane and War Dogs
In 2016, Bradley Cooper had a voice cameo in "10 Cloverfield Lane" and played a supporting role in "War Dogs", which he co-produced.
2017: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
In 2017, Bradley Cooper reprised his role as the voice of Rocket Raccoon in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2".
August 2018: A Star Is Born Premieres at Venice Film Festival
In August 2018, Bradley Cooper's directorial debut, "A Star Is Born", premiered at the 75th Venice International Film Festival to critical acclaim.
2018: A Star Is Born Release
In 2018, Bradley Cooper produced, wrote, directed, and starred in the musical romance A Star Is Born. He won a BAFTA Award and two Grammys for his contributions to the film's soundtrack and single "Shallow".
2018: The Mule
In 2018, Bradley Cooper reunited with Clint Eastwood in "The Mule", where he played a DEA agent.
2018: Release of A Star Is Born
In 2018, the film A Star Is Born, featuring Bradley Cooper, was released to critical and commercial success.
2019: Joker and Avengers: Endgame
In 2019, Bradley Cooper co-produced "Joker", which became the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. Also in 2019, he returned as Rocket in "Avengers: Endgame".
2019: Produced Joker
In 2019, Bradley Cooper produced the thriller Joker.
2019: Highest-Paid Actor
In 2019, Bradley Cooper was one of the highest-paid actors in the world, earning $57 million.
2021: Licorice Pizza and Nightmare Alley
In 2021, Bradley Cooper appeared in "Licorice Pizza" and starred in "Nightmare Alley", both of which received critical acclaim but did not perform well at the box office. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture for producing Nightmare Alley.
2021: Produced Nightmare Alley
In 2021, Bradley Cooper produced the thriller Nightmare Alley.
2022: I Am Groot and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
In 2022, Bradley Cooper voiced Rocket in the Disney+ series "I Am Groot" and the special "The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special".
2023: Directed and Starred in Maestro
In 2023, Bradley Cooper co-wrote, directed, and starred in the biographical drama Maestro, where he portrayed Leonard Bernstein.
2023: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Maestro
In 2023, Bradley Cooper voiced Rocket in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3". Also in 2023, he directed, produced, co-wrote, and starred in "Maestro", a biographical drama about Leonard Bernstein. He faced controversy over his use of a prosthetic nose for the role. He earned multiple award nominations and won a Grammy Award for the soundtrack to Maestro.
2024: No Involvement in Joker Sequel
In 2024, Bradley Cooper was not involved in the sequel to the film 'Joker', after dissolving his producing partnership with Todd Phillips two years prior.
February 2025: Directing and Appearing in Is This Thing On? and Superman
As of February 2025, Bradley Cooper is set to direct and work as a camera operator on the comedy film "Is This Thing On?" for Searchlight Pictures. Also in 2025, Cooper will have a cameo appearance as Jor-El, Superman's father, in the DC Universe film "Superman".
2025: Opening of Danny and Coop's
In 2025, Bradley Cooper opened a cheesesteak restaurant called Danny and Coop's in New York City with Philadelphia restaurateur Danny DiGiampietro.
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