Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. An unexpected duo, right? Their on-screen chemistry in 2019’s A Star Is Born was so palpable that fans overlooked a couple of key details. Bradley was dating Irina Shayk. Gaga? She was engaged to Christian Carano.
Yet, the bond between the co-stars was undeniable. Gaga spoke of an “instant connection” with Bradley. It was there “the second that I saw him,” she said.
Their closeness was on full display at the 2019 Oscars. They performed their Best Song-winning number, “Shallow,” hand-in-hand. The timing was interesting, coming just days after Gaga ended her engagement.
Rumors swirled, of course. But Gaga, the House of Gucci star, was quick to quash them. She told Jimmy Kimmel, “Yes, people saw love and—guess what—that’s what we wanted you to see.”
Bradley? He stayed silent on the speculation. His romance with Irina ended later that year. It wasn’t until November 2021 that he addressed the rumors. He told The Hollywood Reporter they were acting during the Oscar performance.
“They kind of fall in love in that scene in the film,” he explained. “It’s that explosive moment that happens to them on a stage in front of thousands of people…It would have been so weird if we were both on stools facing the audience.”