In a recent interview with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation and Today Show anchor Willie Geist, Bradley Cooper shared his experiences visiting the household of Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
Cooper, known for his roles as both the director and the actor portraying Jackson “Jack” Maine in the 2018 movie A Star Is Born, spoke of his visit to the couple's home. This visit happened as part of his preparations for the film.
He initially had Beyoncé in mind for the role of Ally, a character that later went to Lady Gaga. Greg Silverman, a studio executive, was supportive of the idea of including Beyoncé in the film, as long as her signing did not exceed a million budget.
Cooper found the experience of pitching his movie idea to Beyoncé slightly nerve-wrecking, not helped by a persistent cough he had during his visit. Interestingly, he noted that Jay-Z was watching an episode of Judge Judy during his meeting, a detail that took him by surprise.
Despite working intensively on the film with Beyoncé for nearly a year, their collaborations did not materialize in the end.
Later on, he attempted to cast Adele in the movie, but she could not participate due to other commitments. Upon witnessing a standout performance by Lady Gaga at a benefit concert, Cooper decided to cast her for the leading female role.
A Star Is Born, after its release, received immediate acclaim. It was recognized with eight nominations at the Academy Awards, further winning the Best Original Song Award for “Shallow”.