Bradley Cooper defends use of prosthetic makeup in 'Maestro' role: 'We just had to do it'

Bradley Cooper is defending his portrayal of Leonard Bernstein in Netflix’s “Maestro,” despite stirring controversy with his commitment to the character.

Cooper, who plays the famed composer and conductor opposite Carey Mulligan, appeared with his co-star on “CBS Mornings” Tuesday to discuss the upcoming musical drama. The actor also opened up about the backlash he received for using prosthetic makeup to depict Bernstein, who was Jewish.

Cooper told co-host Gayle King he wasn’t fazed by people’s criticism, adding that prosthetics were necessary to accurately portray Bernstein in the film.

“The truth is I’d done this whole project out of love, and it’s so clear to me where (my intentions) come from,” Cooper said. “My nose is very similar to Lenny’s actually, and so the prosthetic is actually like a silk sheet. And I thought, ‘Maybe we don’t need to do it.’… But it’s all about balance, and my lips are nothing like Lenny’s, and my chin. And it just didn’t look right.”

Cooper, who also serves as the film’s director, said the makeup was especially crucial in showing the changes in Bernstein’s physical appearance across his life.

“When he’s young we have prosthetic (around the nose and mouth), and then it just moves out,” Cooper said. “So, by the time he’s older, it’s the whole face, so we just had to do it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t believe he was a human being.”

“Maestro” is in theaters Nov. 22 before streaming on Netflix Dec. 20.

Why did Bradley Cooper’s prosthetic makeup in ‘Maestro’ receive backlash?

Cooper sparked controversy for his portrayal of Bernstein when a teaser trailer for “Maestro” dropped in August. Social media users dashed to point out Cooper's prosthetic nose worn for the film and the fact he is not Jewish like Bernstein was.

Bernstein's children responded to the backlash in a statement: "It happens to be true that Leonard Bernstein had a nice, big nose. Bradley chose to use makeup to amplify his resemblance, and we're perfectly fine with that. We're also certain that our dad would have been fine with it as well. Any strident complaints around this issue strike us above all as disingenuous attempts to bring a successful person down a notch – a practice we observed all too often perpetrated on our own father."

Cooper told King that having the support of Bernstein’s children was “an incredible moment” for him. A phone call with Bernstein’s son Alexander after the controversy turned emotional for Cooper, he said.

“This huge emotional exhalation came out, and I just was crying so hard. I couldn’t even thank him, and he started crying,” Cooper recalled. “I couldn’t believe that gesture. It was very moving to me.”

Hollywood's history with perpetuating Jewish stereotypes

Hollywood has a long history of perpetuating Jewish stereotypes and casting non-Jews in Jewish roles, a phenomenon some in the industry have labeled "Jewface.”

However, organizations such as the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League have defended Cooper’s depiction of Bernstein as not being harmful to the Jewish community.

"What Bradley Cooper did is not offensive, given that actors are routinely given makeup and prosthetics to appear more like their characters," the American Jewish Committee shared in an August statement. "We do not believe that this depiction harms or denigrates the Jewish community."

An ADL spokesperson added: "Throughout history, Jews were often portrayed in antisemitic films and propaganda as evil caricatures with large, hooked noses. This film, which is a biopic on the legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein, is not that."

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Contributing: David Oliver and Brian Truitt, USA TODAY