Hollywood might be filled to the brim with talented, good-looking people who have the drive and determination to get what they want, no matter the cost, but that doesn’t mean it’s overflowing with compassion and kindness.
Far from it, in fact. The world A-listers preside over is a cut-throat one, and a harsh environment usually breeds harsh people.
As such, there are many among the Earth’s most well-recognized and adored celebrities who aren’t actually all that nice. Sure, they’re entertaining, and they may even have a carefully crafted PR persona that makes them seem great in interviews, but the truth is, you probably wouldn’t want to have dinner with them.
But, of course, we’re not tarnishing every Hollywood A-lister with the same brush. Not only is that unfair, but it’s also wrong.
There are those individuals out there who buck the trend, break the mould, fly in the face of expectation. They may be few and far between, but I think it’s important we highlight them where we can …
Bradley Cooper is an actor whose talents and exploits are famed the world over. Having appeared in blockbuster movies like The Hangover, A Star is Born, and Limitless, it’s safe to say he’s hit a peak most aspiring performers can only dream of.
Yet the millions he’s made – and the subsequent flashy life he’s able to lead – are a far cry from the 48-year-old’s humble upbringing.
As per reports, Cooper was born on January 5, 1975 in Philadelphia, PA, to Gloria Campano and Charles John Cooper. His mother worked at a local NBC station and his father was a stockbroker, but both made sure they were there to give their son the best possible childhood.
Cooper himself has spoken on how his early life was simple and pleasant. He wanted to be a soldier or a ninja when he grew up, and his parents taught him core values including dignity and respect.
Cooper once revealed: “I begged my father to send me to Valley Forge Military Academy. Before that I thought only ninjas understood the meaning of life and death. And so I begged my father to send me to Japan…so I could train to become a ninja.”
As a young man, Cooper turned his interests towards acting, and though he had a bumpy road to the top, his hard work and determination irrefutably won through.
Yet through it all, Cooper himself has been a family man, and so his world was rocked when his father passed away, surrounded by his loved ones, in 2011.
As per reports, the older Cooper died of lung cancer – Bradley helped to take care of him in the months leading up to his death. The actor – then already a household name – even moved into his parents’ house so he could be closer to his father and better look after him.
Sadly, it was Bradley who was holding his father in his arms when he passed from the world.
“It’s a whole new world,” Bradley said. “And it was instantaneous. It wasn’t like months later. It was like his last exhale, and I was holding him, and it was like everything changed.”
Cooper described the experience as “overwhelming and extremely stressful,” though he was grateful to be in a position where he could lend his help.
After his father’s death, the actor resolved to do right by his memory and cherish the memories they had shared.
Not only that, but his bond with his mother was strengthened. As per reports, the actor started to spend more time with her – the pair even traveled to Europe together – and he invited her to live with him at his home in Los Angeles.
Bradley said of the move: “We’re surviving. Both of us. Let’s face it: It’s probably not easy for her, by the way, to be living with her son.” “It’s life.”
In 2019, Cooper took his mother with him as his date to the Oscars. In an immeasurably beautiful gesture, they walked the red carpet together!
I don’t know about you, but Bradley Cooper is one of my favorite actors. I’m so relieved to hear that he’s actually a very nice person to boot!
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