“I had size twelve feet when I was ten, so I thought I was going to be 6’8. My goal was to be able to dunk a basket. I wound up being 6’1 with size fourteen feet. I got the raw end of the deal” says talented but modest movie star, Bradley Cooper. Bradley was born in Philadelphia on January 5, 1975. His handsome looks are most likely from his half Irish and half Italian descent. Torn between becoming either a chef or an actor, young Bradley finally came to a conclusion that he was going to become an actor. Not only did he want to become a working actor, but he wanted to be a good actor (starpulse.com). Bradley Cooper is by far one of the most talented and driven actors of our time. He started his life knowing he was going somewhere, and he most definitely did. Anyone in any field of practice can learn something from his determination and modesty.

When Bradley was a young boy, he loved to cook (IMDB.com). He even debated, as a child, whether he wanted to become a chef or an actor. He was influenced greatly by his grandmother who, he says, was an amazing cook. In an interview, he goes on to say that he and his grandmother used to make different kinds of pasta together (IMDB.com).The fact that Bradley speaks of prior interests shows that he is not absorbed in his career, and definitely hasn’t forgotten about his family. He likes to talk about other aspects of life, including his childhood. It also shows that acting was something very important to him, having picked it over one of his childhood dreams. Bradley is obviously very aware of what he wants in life but isn’t afraid to acknowledge the things he used to love. This makes him a very secure yet modest person. These kinds of traits help him be the amazing actor and performer he is today. We can all learn something about the way Bradley sees himself.

Another event that makes Bradley Cooper the successful person he is, would be his graduation from Georgetown University in 1997 (starpulse.com). This is when he decided that he wanted to become a great actor, not just a working actor. He went on in his education and enrolled in the Masters of Fine Arts Program at the Actors Studio Drama School at New School. Here he worked very hard and absorbed as much knowledge as he could about acting. He was more concerned about practicing what he loved rather than getting paid for it. This shows great character. There are so many celebrities out there than only care about getting paid and being recognized. That’s not Bradley at all. He is one of the few actors who still cares about and embraces the art of acting. That’s the reason his talents are above those of others. He continued to attend the program while making some small onscreen appearances, a great way to start off his career. His first appearance was on an episode of Sex and the City in 1998 (Yahoomovies.com). This was kind of a big start and a small start at the same time. For a new actor, this was a big appearance; but compared to where he is now, it was a very small start. This is another way that Bradley shows modesty. He accepted the fact that he had to start small to make it big. Graduating from college before starting his acting career was what made Bradley who is he today. He didn’t just jump into acting because he knew that he had to start somewhere. Having a great education to fall back on gave him the confidence to become the amazing actor he is.

In addition to Bradley’s personal and professional success, there was his role in the hit movie “Limitless”. The movie was basically about a man whose life was going downhill. His fiancé left him with basically nothing but his apartment. He was a struggling writer in a deep depression. All of this changed when he discovered a drug that he could take to make his mind work to its full capabilities. It seemed like a great idea until things started to take a turn for the worse. There were so many emotional turns and changes that only a truly talented actor could portray this part. Bradley was outstanding in this role, and nobody could have done it better. It was one of his greatest accomplishments as an actor. One of Bradley Cooper’s greatest influences, Robert De Niro, starred alongside him in this movie (Sacks). This had to be a lot of pressure on him, knowing he was working with someone so famous and with so much more experience. Not only did Bradley star in a movie with De Niro, but he was casted in an even bigger part than he was. This couldn’t have been easy. When they first met, 12 years before the movie was filmed, Bradley was too nervous to even ask De Niro a question at an acting seminar (Sacks). Now he has to work with him at the same level. It takes a lot of confidence to work with someone so high caliber and still do a terrific job. Bradley now has the courage to work with any actor and feel comfortable with his own talents. This was a definite stepping stone in his life. It shows great character to work alongside someone you admire so much and do as great of a job as they do, while respecting them at the same time. Going through this experience eagerly and with respect for his fellow actors, is one of many reasons Bradley has become so successful. We can learn a lot about Bradley’s work ethic, despite what career we are in.

Bradley Cooper is definitely one of the greatest actors around right now for a number of reasons. He has starred in numerous films with great accreditation. He is more than just an actor however, but a trend setter. He takes great pride in his work. The way he goes about his life is something we could all learn from. He has great determination, respect, and modesty. More than a magnificent performer, he is a good and honest human being who deserves to be admired.