Leonard Bernstein Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Lights, camera, Oscars. When you chat with someone about filmmakers and mention Steven Spielberg, even the most oblivious Hollywood consumer knows who you’re talking about. Yet the helmers of the year’s most critically acclaimed and top-grossing movies aren’t typically household names.

Van Morrison‘s 1968 album ‘Astral Weeks’. Other non-jazz albums that featured Davis’ playing include Bruce Springsteen‘s ‘Born to Run’ (on the track ‘Meeting Across the River’), Paul Simon‘s ‘There Goes Rhymin’ Simon’ (on ‘Something So Right’) and Bo Diddley‘s ‘Where It All Began’.Davis often served as bandleader within ensembles he performed in, which includes the band put together to record ‘Astral Weeks’ with Morrison. It is believed that Davis had over 3,000 album credits across his decades as a working musician.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor It’s back, baby. As summer winds down and fall festivals begin anew, it’s time to get ready for another awards season. Anticipation, hope and uncertainty are in the air as studios, streamers and the army of Oscar strategists they employ gear up for the long slog of getting their movies in front of voters — all in pursuit of those golden baubles.

Todd Longwell When people discuss busy U.S. production hubs outside of Los Angeles and New York, they tend to namecheck Georgia and New Mexico.

Oscar-winning make-up artist – has revealed that he “feels sorry” for fitting Bradley Cooper with a prosthetic nose in the upcoming film Maestro.The make-up artist faced backlash earlier this year after a trailer was shared for the upcoming Netflix film, which sees Bradley Cooper take on the role of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein.The controversy stemmed from the actor being fitted with a prosthetic nose for the role – with some taking to social media with concerns that the artistic choice was anti-Semitic.Now, Hiro has come forward to address the backlash, and said that he was only looking to make Cooper’s portrayal of Bernstein “as real as possible”.“I wasn’t expecting that to happen,” he said of the criticism at the 2023 Venice Film Festival on Saturday (September 2), per Deadline. “I feel sorry that I hurt some people’s feelings.”“I wanted to portray Lenny as real as possible…He’s photogenic and a great person,” he added.

Bradley Cooper appears to have another winner on his hands.

created for the upcoming Leonard Bernstein biopic, “Maestro,” caused a crescendo of online backlash — with several users calling the nose a prime example of “Jewface,” reports Deadline. “I wasn’t expecting it to happen,” Hiro, 54, told press at the Venice Film Festival of the accusations of antisemitism.

Five years after his triumphant A Star is Born world premiered at the Venice Film Festival, Bradley Cooper is back on the Lido with Maestro. Except, the director and star is only here in spirit owing to the SAG-AFTRA strike.

The makeup artist behind Bradley Cooper‘s prosthetic nose in Maestro is speaking out following all of the backlash.

Maestro” — Bradley Cooper’s long-awaited second film as director — premiered at the Venice Film Festival to rapturous applause. The drama about the life of legendary stage composer Leonard Bernstein landed a seven-minute-standing ovation at its world premiere at the Sala Grande Theatre on Saturday night. Cooper, who also plays Bernstein in the Netflix film (with the help of nose prosthetics), and his co-star Carey Mulligan didn’t attend the night’s festivities due to the SAG-AFRTRA strike.

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film Critic In “Maestro,” playing the legendary American conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein, Bradley Cooper has a light in his eye — a glow of merriment and mischief, of gleeful cosmopolitan desire. His Lenny is a prodigy, a prankster, a seducer, a monk of creative devotion and, through it all, a man of epic contradiction. In public, he tends toward the proper and stentorian; in private, he’s recklessly exuberant enough to give new — or maybe old — meaning to the word gay.

Before “Maestro” plunges into the sharp monochrome of its first chapter, Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein relays to a camera crew how he can still feel the presence of his wife within the walls and gardens of their beautiful countryside manor. “I miss her so much,” he says, the passage of time denounced by the sprawling maze of wrinkles that frames his youthful blue eyes.

Hollywood has had a very spotty record in telling the complete truths of some of our great musical geniuses. 1946’s Night And Day, an attempted, but really fictionalized, biopic on the life of Cole Porter with Cary Grant, totally ignored his real life homosexuality as well as sham marriage. That is just one example. The latest in the genre, Maestro having its World Premiere tonight at the Venice Film Festival, does not attempt to be a biopic at all on the great Leonard Bernstein, but instead puts its key focus on the relationship and 25 year marriage of Bernstein and his wife, Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein, a star in her own right on the Broadway stage. All of it is presented including bringing up their three children – Jamie, Alexander, Nina – as well as Bernstein’s own bisexuality and attraction to younger men, not a secret to his wife.

The makeup artist behind Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein movie Maestro has said he didn’t expect the backlash to the film’s prosthetic nose, which has been criticised by some as an example of ‘jewface’.

Ellise Shafer “Maestro” makeup designer Kazu Hiro responded to backlash over Bradley Cooper’s nose prosthetic in the upcoming film, in which he portrays iconic conductor Leonard Bernstein. “I wasn’t expecting that to happen… I feel sorry that I hurt some people’s feelings,” Hiro said.

Irina Shayk and Tom Brady sparked rumors of romance earlier this month. Now, the pair seem to be apart, with Shayk spending time in Venice with her ex Bradley Cooper and their daughter, Lea.Tom Brady and Irina Shayk’s sleepover: Bradley Cooper reportedly unfazedTom Brady jokes that he’s ready to join BLACKPINK now that he’s retiredShayk and Cooper looked happy to be together. The two were seen with their daughter enjoying themselves.

EXCLUSIVE: With the Venice Film Festival opening tonight, all eyes are on Italy to give us some early clues as to what some of the most anticipated movies of the season will be delivering in terms of their awards potential. Certainly one of the more eagerly awaited expected contenders is Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein movie, Maestro.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent The 80th Venice Film Festival kicks off tomorrow with a robust roster of awards season hopefuls making their bows, such as Michael Mann’s “Ferrari,” Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” Sophia Coppola’s “Priscilla” and David Fincher’s “The Killer,” accompanied by a smattering of stars. As previously reported by Variety, the festival has confirmed that Adam Driver will be in Venice to promote “Ferrari” while Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, who play Priscilla and Elvis Presley in “Priscilla,” as well as Priscilla Presley herself, are also expected to be on the Lido.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Jamie Bernstein, the eldest daughter of famed composer Leonard Bernstein, is defending Bradley Cooper’s portrayal of the music icon in the upcoming Netflix movie “Maestro,” which world premieres Sept. 2 at the Venice Film Festival. Cooper, who directed the film and stars as Bernstein, has come under fire in recent weeks due to his decision to wear a prosthetic nose.

Gordon Cox Theater Editor Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, the musical “If/Then”: These aren’t the usual conversational touchpoints in a discussion about a video game. But all three of those musical theater references, and many more, were brought up by the creators of the new video game Stray Gods on the latest episode of “Stagecraft,” Variety’s theater podcast.

As Bradley Cooper‘s “Maestro” approaches its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, some have criticized the actor-director’s use of prosthetics to adapt more of a likeness to Leonard Bernstein. Certain critics have gone as far as to call the prosthetic nose Cooper wears for the film as anti-semitic.

Bradley Cooper’s decision to use a prosthetic nose to portray Leonard Bernstein in his upcoming biopic Maestro.The Jewish organisation, which fights against antisemitism, released a statement on Monday (August 21) addressing the film after the actor was accused of performing in “Jewface”.In the statement (via Variety), the ADL said the use of prosthetics is not inherently tied to antisemitism. “Throughout history, Jews were often portrayed in antisemitic films and propaganda as evil caricatures with large hooked noses,” the organisation said.“This film, which is a biopic on the legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein, is not that.”Cooper, who also co-writes and directs the film, stars opposite Carey Mulligan in Maestro, which charts the relationship between Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre.Bernstein, the son of Jewish-Ukrainian immigrants to the US, was a renowned composer and conductor perhaps best known for writing the music to West Side Story.Earlier this month, Bernstein’s family similarly defended Cooper’s decision to use prosthetics for the role.“It breaks our hearts to see any misrepresentations or misunderstandings of his efforts,” Bernstein’s children, Jamie, Alexander and Nina, said.

Ethan Shanfeld Bradley Cooper caught backlash for wearing a large prosthetic nose to portray Leonard Bernstein in “Maestro,” his upcoming biographical romance film about the late conductor. The controversy sparked the latest discourse about “Jewface,” Hollywood’s stereotypical or inauthentic portrayal of Jewish people. But the Anti-Defamation League, the notable Jewish organization fighting against bias and bigotry, has come to Cooper’s defense, stating that his depiction of Bernstein is not antisemitic.

Some of the biggest Jewish organizations have no issues with Bradley Cooper’s portrayal of Leonard Bernstein in “Maestro”, despite some recent criticism.

Bradley Cooper was hit pretty much immediately with controversy as he unveiled a first look at his forthcoming Netflix pic Maestro, when the internet encountered the prosthetic nose he’d adopted to portray legendary composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. But Bernstein’s children have now come to his defense.

Bradley Cooper for using facial prosthetics to portray the late composer in biopic Maestro.Cooper stars opposite Carey Mulligan in the upcoming film, which charts the relationship between Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein.After the trailer for Maestro was released on Tuesday (August 15), Cooper – who also co-writes and directs the project – faced some criticism for using a fake nose in his portrayal of Leonard, who was the son of Jewish-Ukraininan immigrants to the US.In a post on Instagram, actor Tracy Ann-Oberman wrote: “If [Cooper] needs to wear a prosthetic nose then that is, to me and many others, the equivalent of Black-Face or Yellow-Face.”She added: “If Bradley Cooper can’t do it through the power of acting alone then don’t cast him – get a Jewish actor. Bradley Cooper managed to play the Elephant Man without a single prosthetic then he should be able to manage to play a Jewish man without one.”In response to the criticism on Wednesday (August 16), Bernstein’s children Jamie, Alexander and Nina released a statement to defend Cooper.(1/6) From Jamie, Alexander, and Nina Bernstein:Bradley Cooper included the three of us along every step of his amazing journey as he made his film about our father.

Leonard Bernstein’s three kids are coming to Bradley Cooper’s defence following criticism that the actor portrayed himself with “Jewface” in his upcoming biopic of the classical composer.

teaser on Tuesday, the Bradley Cooper-led film about the life and loves of legendary conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein received some criticism about Cooper's appearance in the film.Most of the backlash centered on Cooper, a non-Jewish man, donning a large prosthetic nose to play Bernstein, who was the son of Jewish immigrants.On Wednesday, Bernstein's three children, Jamie, Alexander and Nina Bernstein, released a statement on social media in defense of the film, which Cooper also co-wrote and directed.«Bradley Cooper included the three of us along every step of his amazing journey as he made his film about our father,» the statement began. «We were touched to the core to witness the depth of his commitment, his loving embrace of our father's music, and the sheer open-hearted joy he brought to his exploration.

Leonard Bernstein‘s children are speaking out.

Ethan Shanfeld After Netflix released the first trailer for Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” a biographical romance about Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre, many viewers took issue with Cooper’s large prosthetic nose, deeming it the latest example of Hollywood’s stereotypical or inauthentic portrayal of Jewish people, known as “Jewface.” But in a statement posted to Bernstein’s Twitter account, the late conductor’s children defended Cooper’s decision to “use makeup to amplify his resemblance” to their father. Cooper directed “Maestro” and stars as Bernstein opposite Carey Mulligan as Montealegre.