With Maestro streaming on Netflix, viewers wish to find out if Bradley Cooper is wearing a prosthetic nose to portray Leonard Bernstein. Why is the nose causing controversy? Here’s all you need to know.
Is Bradley Cooper wearing a prosthetic fake nose in Maestro?
Yes, Bradley Cooper wore a prosthetic nose as a means to look the closest to Leonard Bernstein.
After the first photos and trailer of Maestro arrived in August, many noticed that Bradley Cooper had facial prosthetics including a fake nose. That was done to resemble the music legend’s look as closely as possible. But while this decision is understandable, it has also stirred a bit of controversy over time.
Why is Bradley Cooper’s fake nose controversial?
The choice of using a prosthetic nose has garnered backlash for Bradley Cooper because many believe that it’s insensitive to enhance his nose.
Seeing Bradley Cooper enhancing his nose to play a Jewish character triggered a backlash from many fans. It was called “problematic” by The Hollywood Reporter’s chief TV critic (via The Guardian), who also described Maestro as “ethnic cosplay.”
Bradley Cooper also reacted to the backlash and explained the decision to have facial prosthetics. Speaking on CBS Mornings, he said that not using a fake nose was initially considered. He stated:
“I thought, ‘Maybe we don’t need to do it, because we can take time off [preparations for the film]. But it’s all about balance, and, you know, my lips are nothing like Lenny’s, and my chin. And so we had that, and it just didn’t look right.”
Leonard Bernstein’s children Jamie, Alexander, and Nina believe that the nose was justified. A statement they issued after the release of Maestro’s trailer articulated:
“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.”
Besides this controversy, Maestro has met with positive reviews from critics and has got great reception from viewers. (via RottenTomatoes)
For more entertainment content, here’s ComingSoon’s review of The Color Purple. Also, here are the best action scenes in Zack Snyder’s movies.
