When Bradley Cooper saw “The Elephant Man” at age 11, a lot of things moved inside him.
David Lynch’s film is inspired by the story of Joseph Merrick, a man with severe physical deformities. It not only shows his pain, but also how a doctor took a chance on his dignity and helped him find a more human place in the world.
That powerful narrative sparked in Cooper a desire to tell stories on the big screen, to use art to move people.
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“When I saw it, I knew I needed to make art to impact other people’s lives like that movie did for me. I think that was the first defining moment in my life,” Bradley said.
The famous actor, nominated for multiple Oscars, shared his experiences with 10,000 people yesterday at the National Auditorium, as part of Siglo XXI, an annual event that brings together the beneficiaries of the Telmex Telcel Scholarships, attended by prominent personalities from various fields such as science, technology, sports, politics and culture.
Cooper, in addition to being an actor, has become a producer, writer and director, skills that have allowed him to be nominated for 12 Oscars in different fields; seven of them were last year with Maestro.
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But behind that, there is a skill that he considers fundamental to get to where he is: “Being present is one of the things that has allowed me to get here,” he said.
“It sounds like a cliché, but it really is, it is very important to be present, to enjoy the now. That is essential to achieve our successes, but more than achieving them, enjoying each process,” he stressed.
Lecture with actor Bradley Cooper for the Telmex Foundation at the National Auditorium. Photo: Fernanda Rojas/EL UNIVERSAL.
In particular, he considered it important to surround himself with creative and valuable people around him, such as the Mexican Guillermo del Toro, who guided him in the film El callejón de las almas perdidas, from 2022.
“Guillermo was one of those people. He really introduced me to a new vision of making films that I had never seen before: his technique with images, his way of creating them, the aesthetics of his films,” he said.
He also highlighted his human qualities: “He supported me and continues to support me in the industry like no one had done before. It was a dark film, but it showed me how far I can go,” said the Hollywood actor.
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If there is something that has changed his present more than acquiring a new skill or learning new techniques, it is the ability to not fear love.
“Love changes everything; my daughter’s (six-year-old) has changed everything. The idea of her being a teenager terrifies me for many reasons, but I’m excited. I look forward to seeing her grow up. Life goes by so fast, that’s what they say,” she shared.
In particular, she acknowledged that she was particularly moved by this summer, as she enjoyed being with them before returning to school: “That made me fearful, because I want to be with her for as long as she lives, but sometimes I think it won’t be possible,” she said.
Lecture with actor Bradley Cooper for the Telmex Foundation at the National Auditorium. Photo: Fernanda Rojas/EL UNVIERSAL.
In addition to his personal life, there are new technologies that are increasingly influencing filmmaking, such as artificial intelligence, which has sparked a conflict in Hollywood between 2022 and 2023.
But it is something Cooper does not intend to escape: “I use it as a tool to tell stories, in storytelling. The oral tradition still exists, opera as a storyteller still exists.
“You know, things just find their place. Cinema has been so massive for a century and the way it evolves will be determined, in part, by artificial intelligence.”
Where he did find disagreement was in his perception of this tool, which is beginning to be increasingly present in all human tasks.
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“I don’t put a label on it as good or bad. I certainly think it will allow our imagination to be unlimited in many ways and with less money. But it’s actually very exciting what could happen and how people could tell much more epic stories, where before only a few could, with a very large budget,” he said.
Calm, he spent a moment after giving this speech to the young Mexicans. He smiled at them and calmly responded to a few “I love you”s that were shouted from the seats.
“Lead with love, do everything with love, even if you are angry. Even if your heart hurts, lead with love. It is not easy, but do it. Eat well, enjoy the food and, I repeat, surround yourself with the right people,” he said.
