This year’s race for the best actor Oscar is shaping up to be the most interesting part of awards season. These guys are really competitive! It’s fun to watch from the sidelines. I’m still rooting for bitchy Michael Keaton. As Kaiser discussed, clever Eddie Redmayne is still working it hard. Is the Cumberbatch still in the running? I don’t know.
Steve Carell decided he’s going to sit back and let the cards fall. He’s been very quiet. That leaves American Sniper‘s Bradley Cooper, who decided to remind us all that he’s still here. Warner Bros arranged for Bradley to cover this week’s issue of People. Coop’s off to the side, next to a photo of Chris Kyle. See how closely he resembles Kyle on this cover with the Oscar-worthy weight gain and the beard? For your consideration:
What he learned: “I’ve always been interested on a personal level in helping our vets. I’ve been a part of USO on tours for over eight years. I had an appreciation for veterans before this, but what I definitely did not know is the toll that it takes on the family. It’s been life-changing. People who see it can relate to it and go, ‘Well, if he goes through that, then maybe it’s okay that I’m going through that. If his family had to deal with that stuff, then maybe I am not alone.’ That’s a lot of what Chris was doing when he got home. He was telling his story. He got his life together, and a lot of that is when he found a purpose in being able to help vets.”
On his 3rd nomination: “I would be lying if I said I didn’t get emotional when I heard my name and saw Chris’s picture up there. I thought, ‘Thank God,’ because I felt the role merited that. I just hoped I did a good enough job for the Academy to recognize that his story is worthy to be a part of these other people’s stories.”
[From People]
BCoop was excited to nab a nomination, but he’s making it all about vets military families. That’s a smart strategy. Also a strong move — playing a real-life historical figure (even a recent one like Chris Kyle). A tragic figure or one who suffers an affliction (in Kyle’s case, PTSD) makes an even bigger impression. But this year’s best actor category is full of such characters.
I wanted to quickly mention my thoughts on Bradley’s Sniper performance. My brother made me watch this movie in IMAX. Yes, fake baby madness on a massive screen. I do think Bradley did a superb job of portraying a character who halfway resembled the real Chris Kyle. BCoop deserves his nomination. He won’t win the Oscar, but he’s putting up a valiant fight.
Photos courtesy of People, Warner Bros & WENN
I’m so pulling for Keaton.
Pandering panda. FAKE BABY For the WIN, even above Michael Keaton!
Pandering🐼. Love it.
Ugh. Punkin Spice Pandas are tormenting me, I’m so confused. That darker hair color is trying to trick me into thinking he’s hot.
More weight and a beard too. The beard improves his face, it makes his appearance more masculine. Usually his eyes seem to take up the majority of his face, it’s somehow more balanced now. Here’s a before image:
http://images.colourbox.com/thumb_COLOURBOX6412807.jpg
Focus on the psycho eyes. Works for me.
ETA – Kiddo – Sexiest Man Alive Cover. Brilliant.
Lmao Ostrich vs. Panda, round one.
In other news, I dreamt I had relations with Badger from Breaking Bad last night. TWICE. Carl Jung would be so disappointed in me.
PunkyMomma, I think mimif only has to worry if she hated him before, or something like that. ETA:Carl Jung and deep thoughts. Hmm. Maybe his face is a Rorschach test for sexual deviance? Badger.
@Kiddo – meds are kicking in slowly today.
Are you talking about the shrooms she took?
No, the shrooms I took.
I know I’m in the minority here but I’m rooting for him to win. I think his performance was better than Redmayne’s and Keaton’s, and his best work to date. He doesn’t get any credit on this site but I really think he’s an amazing actor (He was great in Silver Linings Playbook American Hustle, The Place Beyond the Pines and GOTG as well.)
I think he’s a great actor and nice guy too. I don’t think he merits the snarkiness usually thrown at him here.
I completely agree. I thought he was so much more impressive in SLPB than Jennifer Lawrence, never understood why she got all the acclaim.
Me too, he was so outstanding in SLP, I have a older brother who is bi popular , it was like watching my brother SLP.
Hope he wins for American Sniper , he did amazing job with his accent , look and mannerisms , 2 minutes into the movie it felt like I was watching the real Chris Kyle .
Think of his range , totally different character for what he played in American Hustle
God that’s why you watch movies to have actors transport you , no one has done it better then Bradly Coopper last few years.
Also think he’s a great actor.
And…I think given the patriotic climate – and the fact that Keaton has already won in that he’s gotten tons of other awards and his career has been reborn – I think he’s going to win.
I think BCoop is going to be the “underdog” that “upsets” the two front runners. Redmayne is young enough that he will have another chance-
Keaton as I said above has kind of already won in terms of respect and career rebirth-
Not to mention Keaton and Redmayne forcing a split
Which in my book ultimately works in BCoops favor-
BCoop is on his 3rd nod in a row and –
I just don’t see them denying him. After all, God bless ‘Murica!
Agree!
I’ve only seen The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything. Those two were both Oscar worthy IMO. It’s one of those years where the list is full of deserving nominees. I bet Bradley’s performance is great as well.
Bradley Cooper was really terrific in this. As a veteran, I really appreciated his take on the role and he keeps growing as an actor.
Also, I think he looks good with a little extra weight. His normally psycho eyes looked warm and not as jarring with a little extra weight in his face
I honestly haven’t seen any if the other performances so I can’t really judge. I saw this movie with my husband no has deployed numerous times and is still currently serving. It was quite clear that he was very touched by the movie and understood so much of it in a personal level just like I did as his wife whose been with him for all these deployments. I’m hearing much the same from fellow military spouses.
Thanks to your hubby and you for giving up so much for the rest of us. Your sacrifices are appreciated.
“playing a real-life historical figure”
He is not a historical figure. He will not be in any history textbook nor will any history teacher being teaching about him in their class.
+1👶
Uh, he has a movie made after him, that’s pretty historical for an individual soldier. Also, you don’t think college psychology and ethics professors, even professors of war and war strategy won’t do a segment on Chris? I do. I think his story and the way he died is as relevant a story to modern war as any. His story rings true to many men serving right now that are suffering with PTSD and having a hard time acclimating when home, and who come home to people who don’t even really know that there’s a war being fought. Saying he won’t make history is like saying that the war isn’t happening. And right or wrong, good or bad, it is… and there are people involved that will make the history books. Chris Kyle is likely one of them.
Chris Kyle had a little problem rewriting history, might wanna add* that to your history book.
Not everyone makes history for being perfect human beings. Most make history for being relevant figures to the time period.
You can’t study ethics and the psychology of a person without presenting a fully developed character study, warts and all. Otherwise, you are just staring at the back of a cereal box.
As a history teacher- no he will not be taught about. There are other cases people can look at. And just because he has a movie doesn’t mean he will be in a history textbook. There are far more deserving people and events that need to be looked at, not some guy that killed people for a living.
And going off your case of PTSD, it’s called the Vietnam War. Plenty of cases there to use for psychology as well as other soldiers from this current war who didn’t write a book.
I certainly hope you’re right. I’m not from USA so I can’t say I know everything about this recent part of history. But this man is in no way a hero. I’m sorry. If he were European there’s a big chance he would have ended up in Hague, I watched the film and all I kept thinking was how disappointed I am with Eastwood making such a one side story. Good story, but did not like it’s “subtle” subjectivity. That said, both Clint and Cooper did a great job in technical aspects. But I can’t disagree with Chomsky and what he had to say about it. http://www.alternet.org/watch-chomsky-blasts-american-sniper-and-media-glorifies-it
+1
The character he played was a fictional construct based on a real-life person, but bearing little resemblance to the actual person, who was not nearly as humane as Cooper’s character.
BCoop should be happy he has a nom atleast, no chance of getting an Oscar. It’s between Eddie and Keaton.
Chris Kyle was so handsome. Hurts to say ‘was’ but it’s unfortunate reality. Hope his wife and kids are coping as well as they can with their loss. Life sucks sometimes.
I read something funny that the real Chris Kyle said about Bradley Cooper playing him. He joked that he was going to have to “tie him to my truck, drag him down the street and knock some of the pretty off of him!”
Yes! So funny! Almost as funny as Chris Kyle saying he wished he killed more Iraq people while talking about looting from their homes. Hilarious!!!!
The only best actor performance I haven’t seen is Steve Carrel. Of the four I’ve seen, BCoop was far and away the best performance, in my opinion. I will add though, the only performance I thought was close to BCoop was David Oyelowo. His omission from the list is pretty egregious. I would’ve dropped Cumberbatch in favor of Oyelowo.
@ Kate
This this THIS
@ Marty … it is funny that people like you are so desperate to make a villain out of him.
His actual quote is the enemy not Iraq’s . He was in f — King war with a brutal enemy , why don’t you go and read about what ISIS are doing in Iraq and Syria to their own people .. It the same enemy just under different name… Or why don’t you watch a frontline doc and what was happening with the civil war in Iraq and what they would do to each other…
Realize you couldn’t survive one day of the horrors our man and women in uniform confront when they are sent to war zones.
Show some respect .
I haven’t seen any of the other nominees, so I am only basing this off my viewing of American Sniper. The movie was hard to watch at parts and BCoop pulled me in. Cooper is one of those actors now that I sometimes have a hard time believing as a character because I can’t “unsee” as their celebrity selves. Another example is Tom Cruise. I have hard times remembering who Cruise is in the film. He’s not “Joe”, he’s “Tom Cruise.” The star’s own life and press become bigger than the character, if that makes any sense.
In this movie, I was able to believe Cooper as Kyle. He became Chris Kyle and his performance was amazing. Yes, the fake baby was distracting, but I believed his performance. I am not a veteran, but my father in law is. He served in Vietnam. I met him well after he’d been home. He didn’t talk much of his time in the Army. After one of his brothers passed away, he started showing symptoms of PTSD. Then he had two different types of cancer and it got worse. He fell into depression and by recommendation of his VA therapist, started talking a bit more.
I saw this movie and made some parallels to his stories. (The scene with the boy and the woman at the beginning comes to mind. He had a very similar story). The first thing I wanted to do after leaving that movie was go give him a huge hug. My husband and I were talking to him about the movie and he got very excited that we had seen it and were talking about it. This film is doing wonders for Vets. My Father in law said that he was glad PTSD is being depicted because he’s hopeful others won’t feel alone in dealing with it.
Whether or not Cooper wins, I think he deserves the nomination. This movie was important. It was a story that needed to be told. And he did a fantastic job brining it to life.
What? No picture of the booty shorts?
Omg WHERE ARE THE BBS?!
Oh, the booty shorts WILL be back.
promises, promises…
It’s all about the performance. Cumby was great in IG but his campaign was all “Turing deserves an Oscar so give it to me.” Don’t really want BCoop to go the same way.
Rooting for Carrell. But i also don’t really care haha.
Yeah, i kind of want Carrell to come in from behind and pull off the greatest upset ever.
I would love that. I haven’t seen any of the performances yet, but I’ve always liked him and seeing him come out of nowhere like that would be awesome.
Carrell is one of my most favorite actors/celebrities out there. I think he’s great and seems like a very nice person too. It would be real cool if he won it!
Carrell’s performance is a complete transformation. He doesn’t look the same, sound the same, or move the same.
Still so discouraging that this movie perpetuates this ‘hero’ myth…
Killing women and children?
Not a fan of the sweaty bcoop regardless….
The thing that upsets me the most is as this “great American Hero” movie is getting more popular, there has been an increase in attacks on Muslim-Americans.
+1
Bradley Cooper absolutely deserves the Oscar for this role. I saw the movie the other day. I never knew he had it in him to play a role so perfectly. Kyle was true American hero (that SHOULD be taught in schools) and Coopes portrayal of him was superb, to say the least.
A man who lied in his autobiography about several things including shooting people in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina? Who lied about Jesse Ventura saying he wishes Navy SEALs would get killed (which Ventura sued and won over)? Who ran a scam charity that promised to give money from his book sales to wounded vets and never did? Who cheated on his wife multiple times before she took him back? Who used the Sandy Hook massacre as a way to try and drum up business for his security training business? Who claimed that all Muslims were animals and savages who deserved to be killed? Who openly bragged about robbing Iraqis’ homes and said it was “fun’ to kill Muslims?
I feel very, very sorry for you if you consider this man a hero.
If this man is a “hero” than we are further into Idiocracy than I thought.
SamiHami – don’t even argue with people on here about Chris Kyle…been there, done that…if you allude to even thinking he’s the teeniest, tiniest bit of a heroic veteran they turn on you faster than a junkyard dog on a bone. There is no argument you can provide. Just best to keep your opinion to yourself when it comes to Chris Kyle and this particular site.
Why do people who staunchly defend Chris Kyle refuse to accept that he’s not this pristine hero that the media represents? People who “turn on you faster than a junkyard dog on a bone” because you “allude to even thinking he’s the teeniest tiniest bit of a heroic veteran” do so because the media has distorted Chris Kyle’s image to be that of some valiant warrior when he was… a pretty terrible person. Sorry to break it to you.
Like I said above…let’s not dare praise the guy. He gets absolutely no acknowledgement for the AMERICAN lives he saved… I agree he had problems, not having been around in the 70’s, I have to think this is exactly how those veterans were treated as well. Scrutinized by those who have absolutely no idea what it’s like to be in their shoes.
Slightly OT–
My theater is playing “The Imitation Game” and “American Sniper”….which one should I go see?
American Sniper… far more complex as to how you might feel about the main character and his psychology.
That’s my dilemma about American Sniper. The guy was….questionable, and the movie ignores all of that. I think if they’d just made a movie about a random sniper, then it wouldn’t have been so controversial. But I’m torn because this looks like the only movie that Bradley Cooper can act in that I’ve seen.
Yeah, I just wrote what I found disturbing about it above. I completely understand that. I went in knowing nothing about this man. But any movie that triggers you and makes you react in a way that you question things is a well done film. That’s why this was a good experience for me. I’m a film maker so I do understand that sometimes a director can chose to tell one side – Eastwood did it well and Cooper was also really, really good so I do recommend watching it. I have been debating over several things regarding this film with my friends so I’d say it was a good thing that we’ve seen it.
Cake.
Only if you go see it with me, mimif. And sneak some food in, because these theater prices are KILLING me.
HAHA, I missed this.