Earlier this week, the first trailer for the upcoming film “Maestro” was released, a film starring Bradley Cooper portraying the famous composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein.
However, shortly after the film’s trailer was released, critics online quickly raised the red flag over the prosthetic nose that Cooper wears in the film, with many calling it a reinforcement of antisemitic stereotypes.
Bernstein, a first-generation American born in Massachusetts to Jewish immigrants from Russia, was best known for his work on Broadway, most notably his musical “West Side Story.”
Bernstein’s heritage also raised questions from critics about the casting of the film, as Cooper is not known to be of Jewish ancestry.
However, following the two days of backlash, the children of Bernstein, Jamie, Alexander, and Nina, have come forward, sharing a statement on the trailer and Cooper’s portrayal of their father.
“Bradley Cooper included the three of us along every step of his amazing journey as he made his film about our father,” the statement says. “We were touched to the core to witness the depth of his commitment, his loving embrace of our father’s music, and the sheer open-hearted joy he brought to his exploration. It breaks our hearts to see any misrepresentations or misunderstandings of his efforts.”
The statement also directly commented on the makeup Cooper used to appear more like their father.
“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,” the statement went on to say. “We’re also certain that our dad would have been fine with it as well. Any strident complaints around this issue strike us above all as disingenuous attempts to bring a successful person down a notch — a practice we observed all too often perpetrated on our own father.”
Cooper is not only credited with starring in the film, but he has also received writing, producing, and directing credits.
While the actor known for his roles in films such as “American Sniper,” “A Star is Born,” and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is at the front of the recent controversy, he has yet to comment about the backlash.
Still, Bernstein’s children expressed that he was respectful of their father throughout the entirety of the project.
“At all times during the making of this film, we could feel the profound respect and yes, the love that Bradley brought to his portrait of Leonard Bernstein and his wife, our mother Felicia,” the family statement said. “We feel so fortunate to have had this experience with Bradley, and we can’t wait for the world to see his creation.”
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