Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro”
Make-up artist asks for forgiveness in Venice
Bradley Cooper plays famed composer Leonard Bernstein in “Maestro.”
© imago/MediaPunch
Bradley Cooper’s prosthetic nose in “Maestro” has been criticized as anti-Semitic. Now the film’s makeup artist has apologized for it.
Makeup artist apologizes for nose prosthesis in “Maestro”
Beforehand, “Maestro” caused negative headlines, especially with Cooper’s nasal prosthesis appearing in the film. The controversial prop has been criticized as anti-Semitic by some social media users. At the film’s press conference in Venice, the Oscar-winning make-up artist Kazu Hiro (“The Darkest Hour”, 54) according to “Variety” for its creation – and at the same time explains the motivation behind the artistic approach of the production.
“I didn’t expect that,” Hiro said. “I’m sorry I hurt some people’s feelings.” The goal of the film team was to present Bernstein’s “really iconic look that everyone knows” in the biopic “as authentically as possible”. There would be so many recordings of the legendary artist. Cooper and Hiro tried to do justice to this well-known appearance in “Maestro”.
Bernstein descendants and Jewish organizations defend Bradley Cooper
With Jamie (70), Alexander (68) and Nina Maria Felicia Bernstein (61), three children of the famous musician were also present at the Venice premiere of Cooper’s latest work. Jamie Bernstein addressed the prosthetic nose controversy in ‘Maestro’ ahead of the film’s screening to Vanity Fair as an “annoying distraction”. “The people who were just waiting to get excited about something were just waiting to pounce on it,” says the composer.
Jewish organizations in the United States had previously defended Cooper against accusations of so-called “Jewfacing.” “Throughout history, Jews have often been portrayed as evil caricatures with big, hooked noses in anti-Semitic films and propaganda,” the Anti-Defamition League (ADL) said a few days ago. The film Maestro, which “is a biopic about legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein, is not,” according to the ADL.