Jewish Organisation Defends Actor Bradley Cooper Against “Jewface” Accusations in Biopic
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has come to the defense of actor Bradley Cooper amidst accusations of performing in “Jewface” for his upcoming biopic, Maestro, in which he portrays the legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein. The US-based international Jewish organization, known for fighting anti-Semitism and bigotry, issued a statement on Monday asserting that Cooper’s use of prosthetics was not inherently anti-Semitic.
The ADL addressed the historical portrayal of Jews in antisemitic films and propaganda, stating, “Throughout history, Jews were often portrayed in antisemitic films and propaganda as evil caricatures with large, hooked noses. This film, which is a biopic on the legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein, is not that.”
Maestro revolves around Bernstein’s lifelong relationship with his wife, Felicia Montealegre, portrayed by Carey Mulligan. Directed, co-written, and starring Cooper himself, the film is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 2 before a limited theatrical release in late November, followed by its release on Netflix on December 20.
Controversy arose when images of Cooper on set as Bernstein first surfaced, eliciting criticism over the use of prosthetics. Daniel Fienberg, chief TV critic for the Hollywood Reporter, called it “problematic,” describing the film as “ethnic cosplay.”
Nevertheless, Bernstein’s children, Jamie, Alexander, and Nina, defended Cooper against the accusations, stating, “It breaks our hearts to see any misrepresentations or misunderstandings of [Cooper’s] efforts. It happens to be true that Leonard Bernstein had a nice, big nose. Bradley chose to use makeup to amplify his resemblance, and we’re perfectly fine with that. We’re also certain that our dad would have been fine with it as well.”
This discussion follows recent objections to the casting of Cillian Murphy as nuclear physicist J Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s biopic and the casting of Helen Mirren as Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, both non-Jewish actors playing notable Jewish figures.
The ADL’s statement aims to provide a nuanced perspective on the use of prosthetics in film, distinguishing between perpetuating harmful stereotypes and accurately portraying historical figures. Cooper’s dedication to capturing Bernstein’s likeness in his portrayal has been supported by those closest to the conductor, his own children.