Cooper inspired by storytelling
Print Edition
AMERICAN actor and producer Bradley Cooper walked the red carpet at the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) for the first time on June 11.
Cooper has been involved in a series of highly-acclaimed films like “The Hangover” trilogy, “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “American Sniper,” “American Hustle” and “Silver Linings Playbook.”
He is among the highest paid actors in Hollywood who is also well received critically.
The actor is working on the second installment of Marvel’s superhero series “Guardians of the Galaxy,” lending his voice to the loud-mouthed Rocket the raccoon.
Rocket Raccoon
The film is directed by James Gunn.
The first edition was released in 2014 and made over US$770 million in box office. It was the third highest-grossing film in North America that year.
“When the director approached me, I was shocked, and also curious why he wanted me to play a raccoon, but it’s a lot of fun to discover and find the voice (of the raccoon).
“It’s very challenging, I have a lot of respect for that type of work. It so much fun, I absolutely love it,” Cooper said.
The well-liked character of the Rocket was voiced by Cooper and played by Sean Gunn, the director’s brother.
“When you see the final product, it’s a true collaboration,” he said. “Rocket really is a combination of many people.”
As part of the superhero franchise family, Cooper said he loves watching characters transfer from one movie to another, making one feel like a part of a community.
The sequel “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2” is due for release next year.
In addition to box office successes like “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “The Hangover” trilogy, Cooper has also starred in more serious and critically acclaimed movies like the biographical war film “American Sniper.”
The actor has been nominated for four Academy Awards — three for acting and one for producing.
Copper said three movies, “Silver Linings Playbook,” “American Hustle” and “American Sniper” are closest to his heart, adding it was hard to choose his favorite film.
“If I had to choose one it probably would be ‘American Sniper,’ just because of the responsibility of playing an actual human being and to know that their family trusted me and Clint Eastwood to tell their son, their husband and father’s story,” he said.
The “American Sniper” was based on the true story of Chris Kyle, the United States Navy SEAL veteran and sniper who served four tours in the Iraq War. Kyle was murdered by Eddie Ray Routh at a shooting range in 2013 near Chalk Mountain, Texas.
Working with a legendary director like Eastwood was an absolute dream, said Cooper, who grew up watching the director’s iconic films like “Unforgiven” and “Honkytonk Man.”
Eastwood and Cooper flew to Texas to meet Kyle’s family during the making “American Sniper.”
“Shooting the film was meaningful for both of us,” he said.
As an actor, Cooper stressed that he loved storytelling ever since he was a kid. Telling inspiring stories was an honor and dream, he said.
“It’s what gave me inspiration and made me feel that I wasn’t so alone. We live in a time where the world seems to be getting smaller and smaller, so if I get a chance to tell stories to other places and regions in the world, like China, then that is incredible,” he said.
The goal of storytelling is to inspire more people who would themselves go on to tell stories as well.
“Hope is always a key element in storytelling for me, as tragic as a story maybe that’s worth telling. There has to be always a glimmer of hope,” said Cooper.
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