While we’re currently in diving off the deep end of summer movie season, before you know it we’ll be right back in the shallows of awards season. Last year, A Star is Born was on everyone’s lips after its box office success and high critical-acclaim. Along with the film featuring standout performances from Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga and Sam Elliot, legendary comedian Dave Chappelle also played Jackson Maine’s longtime friend, George 'Noodles' Stone.
While Dave Chappelle was doing a Q&A portion of his Dave Chappelle Live on Broadway set, he was asked how he ended up nabbing a role in the eight-time Oscar nominee. According to the comedian (via Vulture), Bradley Cooper flew out to Chappelle’s annual barn party in Ohio to convince him to join his directorial debut. Prior, they had only met briefly by ways of Kanye West in a London Hotel.
Dave Chappelle recalled that Cooper kept calling him “every two days” to join A Star is Born. He finally took the role so the actor would stop bothering him! The comedian continued with this:
He sent me the script … but I never read the script. I didn’t know the shit was going to be good!
While he was admittedly impressed by Bradley Cooper’s version of The Elephant Man on Broadway years back, Dave Chappelle had little to do with him and had no idea the scope of his vision. Especially since he didn’t read the script and only had to be on set for a few days, he had no idea how big A Star is Born was about to explode. In hindsight, he’s honored to be a part of the project and praised Cooper’s first time directing.
But at the time, he signed on to A Star is Born out of annoyance of Bradley Cooper’s persistence! The actor-turned-director clearly has an eye for casting as he convinced Lady Gaga to immerse herself in Ally, even though the studio wasn’t convinced she was the right fit at first. Cooper and Gaga showcased such magnetic chemistry on screen that they have created a following of fans convinced they are dating in real life.
Cooper’s A Star is Born was a massive undertaking for the actor. He took over the project from Clint Eastwood, to work on the script, direct his first movie and star as the troubled musician Jackson Maine. Bradley Cooper didn’t even know how to sing prior to the making of the movie, but managed to look right at home with pop sensation Lady Gaga on massive stages.
He was remaking a classic Hollywood story for the fourth time. Comparisons were inevitable. Yet, he was able to bring a refreshing take on the music-filled drama.
