Bradley Cooper: Jewish associations defend “Maestro” nose

Bradley Cooper
Jewish associations defend “Maestro” nose

Two Jewish organizations defend Bradley Cooper (48) against the accusation of spreading anti-Semitic clichés in his film “Maestro”. Some commentators on social media have criticized Cooper for wearing a prosthetic nose for his portrait of US composer Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990). In anti-Semitic propaganda, Jews were and are often portrayed with big noses. There was talk of “Jewfacing” – analogous to the historical “Blackfacing”, in which white people made themselves up as black people to make fun of them.

Two organizations defend Bradley Cooper

Opposite the US portal “TMZ” the American Jewish Committee has now taken a position. “We do not believe that this portrayal harms or denigrates the Jewish community,” the association, which was founded in 1906, announced.

Another influential organization, the Anti-Defamition League (ADL), followed suit. “Throughout history, Jews have often been portrayed in anti-Semitic films and propaganda as evil caricatures with big, hooked noses,” the group also told TMZ. “This film, which is a biopic of legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein, is not,” the ADL said.

Leonard Bernstein’s children had also defended Bradley Cooper. “It’s true that Leonard Bernstein had a nice big nose,” they wrote in a joint statement on X.

In “Maestro” Bradley Cooper embodies the conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein (“West Side Story”), who was born in New York as the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland. Cooper is also directing and writing the screenplay for the biopic. The Netflix film will premiere at the Venice Film Festival (August 30 – September 9, 2023).

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