{"id":70817,"date":"2014-12-19T13:04:25","date_gmt":"2014-12-19T13:04:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/0de2709a84.nxcli.net\/0-kjasnb\/2014\/12\/19\/bradley-cooper-talks-american-sniper\/"},"modified":"2018-12-18T03:53:29","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T03:53:29","slug":"bradley-cooper-talks-american-sniper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/bradley-cooper-talks-american-sniper\/","title":{"rendered":"Bradley Cooper Talks American Sniper"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bradley Cooper Talks American Sniper<\/a><\/strong>Posted by Brad Balfour<\/p>\n

December 19, 2014<\/p>\n

\"308555id1i_TheJudge_FinalRated_27x40_1Sheet.indd\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When a war-related film comes from Oscar-winning director Clint Eastwood<\/strong> (Million Dollar Baby, Unforgiven), you can bet it’s not some pacifist screed. But as with most of the octogenarian’s catalogue of military based movies, he doesn’t produced mere patriotic propaganda either.<\/p>\n

Accordingly, Clint’s latest, American Sniper<\/a><\/strong>, offers a taut yet complex portrait of the late Iraqi war vet Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history with over 160 kills. Uncannily portrayed by two-time Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper <\/strong>(Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle), there was much more to this U.S. Navy SEAL than his incredible sharpshooter skills. Like the character he plays, the 39 year old Philadelphia native downplays his stardom for an enthusiastic actor excited by the challenge of being directed by Eastwood (who he can handily imitate when describing their working together).<\/p>\n

Kyle went to Iraq to protect his brothers-in-arms, where he served four harrowing tours of duty, personifying the SEALs’ spirit to \u201cleave no one behind.\u201d With pinpoint accuracy he saved countless soldiers but as stories of his exploits spread — and he earned the nickname \u201cLegend” — his reputation also grew with the enemy, making him a prime target of insurgents with a price on his head. Part of this narrative describes the competition between the Texan native and his Iraqi enemy rival.<\/p>\n

\"Bradler<\/a><\/p>\n

He faced a different battle striving to be both a good husband and father while being a world away. On his return to wife Taya Renae Kyle (Sienna Miller<\/strong>) and kids, Kyle finds he can\u2019t leave behind the war which takes a toll on all involved. As he starts to resolve his inner struggles by working with wounded vets, he is killed by an emotionally disturbed Marine.<\/p>\n

Based on Kyle’s compelling autobiography (written with Scott McEwan and Jim DeFelice<\/strong>) — which spent 18 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, 13 of those at number one — Jason Hall’s screenplay hit its mark. As confirmed by Cooper, cast member Sienna Miller and Taya herself with Hall also in attendance, this quartet recently answered questions at a press conference held at the New York Ritz Carleton. This Q&A is culled from that press conference and another conversation with Cooper.<\/p>\n

When you’re starring in two high profile productions like The Elephant Man on Broadway and American Sniper, who do you see when you look in the mirror?<\/strong><\/p>\n

BC:<\/strong> I try not to look in the mirror, quite honestly [laughs]… Both Chris Kyle and Joseph Merrick were real people, who I admire greatly, and, so, I just felt a tremendous responsibility to both of them. And, I just see it as a huge opportunity and a privilege, so I just did everything I could to do right by them.<\/p>\n

\"American<\/a><\/p>\n

How was the training in making American Sniper — you couldn’t be physically more different than your Broadway role; did you have to beef up?<\/strong><\/p>\n

BC: <\/strong>I had to lose weight, but I liked it. It changed everything. It was weight training, so I got really strong. I remember going to an after party at the Oscars and people just deflect off you as you\u2019re walking around. I felt one guy bounce off me and I couldn\u2019t believe that it was A-Rod! And he\u2019s huge! I notice it even more now. I used to get bumped around like a pinball, but now I\u2019m 230.<\/p>\n

Did you eat steaks and lift weights?<\/strong><\/p>\n

BC:<\/strong> Six thousand calories a day.<\/p>\n

\"American<\/a><\/p>\n

What about the women?<\/strong><\/p>\n

BC:<\/strong> They love it [laughs].<\/p>\n

Do people perceive you differently now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

BC:<\/strong> I became unrecognizable. I can go anywhere anyways, but lately nobody notices me [because I\u2019m much bigger].<\/p>\n

In a way this movie is like a western\u2026 familiar territory for Eastwood.<\/strong><\/p>\n

BC:<\/strong> The construct is that of a western in the way that we set it up. \u2026There is a sharpshooter, then there is an enemy sharpshooter and there is a showdown at the end. Usually, when you\u2019re in the frontier, there is that tumbleweed, and there is a desert storm that comes in. [Whistles.]\n

\"American<\/a><\/p>\n

Did you get any military field training?<\/strong><\/p>\n

BC:<\/strong> I really focused on getting into the mindset of a sniper, not so much about the training of becoming a Navy Seal, which I would have loved to have done \u2013 if I had survived it\u2026<\/p>\n

I supplemented that with the weight training, which for me, personally, was a thing that pales in comparison to what they go through, but at least I could understand about that kind of focus and sacrifice.<\/p>\n

Do you think this will help a global audience understand America\u2019s involvement in the Iraq War?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Bradler<\/a><\/p>\n

BC: <\/strong>It\u2019s not a movie about the Iraq War. It\u2019s a movie about what someone like Chris has to go through — a soldier — and the dilemma and the horror of it and the battle internally and with the family. That is all this movie is about. That\u2019s all we ever talked about making it about.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a political movie at all. It\u2019s a movie about a man, a character study and we had the privilege of telling this man\u2019s story. \u2026 The hope is that you can somehow have your eyes opened to the struggle of a soldier, as opposed to the specificity of the war.<\/p>\n

What do you hope moviegoers will take away from seeing this film?<\/strong><\/p>\n

BC:<\/strong> Movies, for me, have always been healing. When I was a kid growing up, \u2018The Elephant Man\u2019 was a movie that affected me in such a massive way that it made me want to be an actor. It always made me feel like I wasn’t so alone. That’s why I do what I do. I love storytelling so much.<\/p>\n

\"American<\/a><\/p>\n

We had an opportunity to tell this man’s story, who was a very charismatic, dynamic human being, so it’s going to be a story that is cinematically fruitful. There are a lot of things that make it something you are going to want to watch, but the takeaway will be for those who can relate to him, that maybe it will be healing to relate to a veteran who has gone through similar things that Chris has gone through and maybe not feel so alone. People who don’t know anything about what vets go through, what [Kyle’s wife] Taya has gone through, maybe can have some sort of empathy or sympathy when they see a vet pass them at an airport, maybe think twice.<\/p>\n

You also serve as a producer on this film, doing alot to see that it got made. Why did you want Clint Eastwood to direct the movie?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"American<\/a><\/p>\n

BC: <\/strong>That\u2019s almost a hilarious question\u2026 Why would I want to work with Clint Eastwood? He\u2019s made maybe the best American film [of all time] \u2013- Unforgiven. He is one of the greatest directors of our time, of this century. And, also, the character struggle of a man that he tackles in Unforgiven \u2013- with [the character of] William Munny -\u2013 and with Letters from Iwo Jima, he is able to do in a way other directors just aren\u2019t [able to do so]. So he was the perfect director for this movie, which is a character study framed as a western. He is perfect. Chris Kyle actually said if there was anyone he would choose to direct the movie, it would be Clint Eastwood and then he had his wish.<\/p>\n

And what was it like working with Clint Eastwood?<\/strong><\/p>\n

BC:<\/strong> I love him to death and we had so many moments and we laughed a tremendous amount while making the movie, shockingly, actually, given the content. But I think that\u2019s probably why he gets so many great performances out of people because he makes them really feel at ease.<\/p>\n

\"AMERICAN<\/a><\/p>\n

How was the shooting schedule?<\/strong><\/p>\n

BC:<\/strong> We shot in the spring in Toronto and it had an insane turnaround, almost as fast as Million Dollar Baby. With Million Dollar Baby he locked it in six weeks before it opened. We were down to the wire with American Hustle last year, and this was even closer. Wolf of Wall Street was the closest, they couldn\u2019t even qualify for SAG last year because they were running late.<\/p>\n

\"Bradley<\/a><\/p>\n

And given the intensity of this character, how did you decompress at the end of an emotional day of shooting?<\/strong><\/p>\n

BC:<\/strong> There was no way to unwind every day, for me, because it felt like it was one long stretch. I didn\u2019t feel like there was much of a difference between shooting and not shooting, until we got to the very end. \u2026<\/p>\n

First of all, you\u2019re so excited to come on the set every day because Clint Eastwood is there. That never gets old. It\u2019s like the most exciting thing and we became friends with him and we would hang out with him a lot \u2013 we would have dinner after and like hang out \u2013 so it was amazing and, as a producer, I also got to live with the movie after.<\/p>\n

As a producer, you\u2019re watching the editing and sort of helping the director craft the movie. But there was a day when I felt that Chris had left me, maybe 3 \u00bd weeks after the movie. That was a sad day, but besides that, I felt like it just went into a different transition.<\/p>\n