Bradley Cooper’s Near Miss: The Role That Changed Everything

Sixteen years ago, few would have recognised Bradley Cooper on the street. By the 2010s, he’d become a fixture in British living rooms, thanks to a string of acclaimed performances in films such as The Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, Limitless, and The A-Team. More recently, he’s stepped behind the camera, earning praise for his directorial work on A Star is Born in 2018, followed by the Oscar-nominated Maestro in 2023 and the 2025 comedy Is This Thing On?. The latter, only just released, is already making a respectable showing—no small feat for a comedy these days. Cooper’s rise has been so swift and assured that it’s easy to forget there was a time when he was virtually unknown. Yet, until 2009, that was precisely the case. If not for a single, pivotal opportunity, his career might have taken a very different turn.

Unlikely Beginnings and Studio Scepticism

In 2009, Cooper landed a part in a modestly budgeted comedy called The Hangover. The project was hardly a sure thing; the studio’s confidence was so shaky that director Todd Phillips agreed to forgo his own fee just to get the film made. The gamble paid off handsomely, as the film became the year’s biggest surprise hit and spawned one of the most successful comedy franchises in recent memory. Suddenly, Cooper was everywhere. Yet, his lack of fame nearly cost him the part altogether.

Cooper had previously auditioned for Phillips’ earlier film, Starsky & Hutch, but didn’t make the cut. In hindsight, that may have been a blessing, as the film failed to make much of an impression despite its star-studded cast. Fortunately, Phillips remembered Cooper and considered him for The Hangover, but only after Jack Black and Paul Rudd had declined. Even then, the studio remained unconvinced.

“And then that was it – I didn’t hear from him. I remember checking in, and they said, ‘Yeah, budgetary problems; they’re going to need a name.’”

In other words, the studio wanted a big star to ensure a return on their investment, and Cooper, at that point, simply wasn’t one.

Early Career: From Bit Parts to Breakthrough

Before his breakthrough, Cooper’s CV was hardly the stuff of legend. He made his screen debut with a brief appearance in Sex and the City, playing a fleeting love interest for Carrie. This was followed by a recurring role in the spy drama Alias and a part in the cult favourite Wet Hot American Summer. His fortunes began to shift when he was cast in Wedding Crashers, which led to a series of supporting roles in romantic comedies and other light-hearted fare. Still, none of these roles suggested he was destined for stardom, and the studio’s reluctance was understandable. They wanted a proven draw, someone who could fill seats and guarantee a hit.

Phillips, however, was determined to stick with his choice. He was so committed to his vision that he sacrificed his own director’s fee in exchange for a share of the profits and the freedom to cast as he pleased. The rest, as they say, is history.