Bradley Cooper on Honoring ‘Maestro’ at 2023 Gotham Awards and ‘Hangover 4’ Rumors (Exclusive)

Bradley Cooper is working hard to honor the memory and legacy of the iconic composer Leonard Bernstein.

The celebrated Maestro star was all smiles at the 2023 Gotham Awards at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City on Monday, alongside his co-star, Carey Mulligan.

The pair spoke with ET’s Rachel Smith on the red carpet, and they opened up about honoring the celebrated musical legend during Monday’s show.

“We’re just so excited that Lenny and his music and his life can be honored tonight,” Cooper marveled. “And that we could all be up there with the children, talking about his legacy.”

“I think it’s also so special to be in New York, because the soul of this whole story is in New York,” Mulligan added. “So for us to have it here and be here with [Bernstein’s] kids is so lovely.”

In Maestro, Cooper stars as Bernstein, while Mulligan portrays his wife, actress Felicia Montealegre. The film focuses on their unique and challenging relationship, as well as the enormous, indelible impact Bernstein’s brilliance had on music and theater.

Apart from playing the titular role, Maestro also serves as Cooper’s second directorial effort after 2018’s A Star Is Born. He also co-wrote the script with Josh Singer and serves as a producer alongside Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese.

Looking back at his time on set, as he developed, shot and shaped the acclaimed project, Cooper recalled an important lesson he learned about filmmaking from the experience.

“If you surround yourself with great people that you know, you can accomplish your dreams,” Cooper shared. “That’s what I learned.”

The nine-time Oscar-nominated star also addressed comments he made during a podcast appearance on The New Yorker Radio Hour last week in which he was asked about whether or not he is only interested in serious roles now, or if he’d be down to come back for a theoretical fourth installment to The Hangover franchise. Cooper said during the chat, “I would probably do Hangover 4 in an instant, yeah.”

This remark certainly grabbed fans’ attention and sparked rumors that a possible Hangover 4 could be in the works — although it was clear from the question asked of Cooper that the idea was all hypothetical.

However, that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be interested.

“Yeah, I meant it,” Cooper told ET of his remarks, adding, “It’ll never happen, but yeah.”

“I’d be on board to go and see it,” Mulligan shared with a laugh.

Maestro will open in select theaters on Nov. 22. It will be available on Netflix beginning Dec. 20.

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