The Leonard Bernstein biopic was originally slated to be directed by two of Hollywood’s biggest directors, before ultimately being handed over to Bradley Cooper.
Available on Netflix since Friday, Maestro is Bradley Cooper’s second film as director. It is also he who takes responsibility for interpreting Leonard Bernstein, delivering a stunning performance. But the genesis of this story is surprising to say the least.
A Maestro producer reveals how Bradley Cooper came to produce, direct and star in the film, tells us Deadline.
If the film is today co-produced by Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, the two Hollywood heavyweights, have both been approached to direct the film since the acquisition of the rights in 2008 and therefore before it was entrusted to Bradley Cooper.
During Maestro’s presentation at the Venice Film Festival last September, co-producer Kristie Macosko Krieger revealed that Spielberg handed the directing reins to Bradley Cooper after seeing only 20 minutes of A Star Is Born, his debut as a director. as director in 2018.
“Steven was about to realize West Side Story,” Kristie Krieger explained.He wasn’t going to direct it anymore and Bradley, at that point, I think it was March or April 2018, said, ‘Steven, if you’re not going to direct this movie, can I put me in line? I just finished A Star Is Born. I’m putting the finishing touches on it, you can watch the movie, and if you like the movie, I’d love to do the work.’“
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She goes on to explain that she, Maestro co-writer Josh Singer and Steven Spielberg were all invited by Bradley Cooper for a screening of his musical drama, in which he starred alongside Lady Gaga: “Steven watched the film and, after 20 minutes, he said, ‘You’re going to direct this film, you have to direct Maestro.’“.
Kristie Krieger added that Spielberg continued to work closely with Cooper on the film. “Spielberg was Bradley’s sounding board. He read every version of the script. He watched every shot of the movie with Bradley. He was involved in all of this“.