Bradley Cooper has been cast as Leonard Bernstein, the film Maestro on Netflix. Pictures of Bernstein at a young age show Cooper’s perfect choice.
The first trailer for the Netflix biopic Maestro has made its way online and while there may be ongoing controversy about Bradley Cooper’s use of a prosthetic nose, images of a young Leonard Bernstein show that Cooper shares an incredible likeness to the celebrated conductor, composer, and musician.
A young Leonard Bernstein in 1944
Leonard Bernstein was an assistant conductor at the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 1944.
Bernstein is portrayed with neatly styled, light-colored hair against a simple background. He also wears a suit of the same color, but it’s a little lighter. A black tie contrasts nicely.
Of course, the controversial prosthetic nose aids in Cooper’s resemblance to the young Leonard Bernstein, especially in the image below where the actor is facing off to one side.
It is striking how similar they look, particularly when combined with the hairstyles that are identical around their temples and ears.
Portrait circa 1945
We now have a second portrait, believed taken around 1945, of Leonard Bernstein.
The image shows Bernstein in a checkered shirt with a cigarette clutched between his fingers, something you’re likely to see a lot of in Maestro as the composer was well-known for being a heavy smoker.
Once again, the hair and makeup team have to be complimented on their ability to hone Bradley Cooper’s appearance as the image below further highlights the pair’s incredible likeness.
However, the biggest difference between Leonard Bernstein and the actor playing him is that Bradley Cooper’s cheekbones are more prominent, which means that Cooper is still just about recognizable despite the hair, makeup, and prosthetics used for the film.
Date of release and preview for Maestro
Maestro, a film by Netflix that will debut on Netflix one month after the release in theaters (November 2023), will hit select cinemas.
Film tells incredible story about music icon Leonard Bernstein’s relationship with his wife Felicia Montalegre.
Maestro, a letter of love to art and life, explores both the extraordinary career of West Side Story composer and his complicated personal life.
Select theaters will show Maestro on November 22nd, 2023. This is before the movie has been made. Available to stream Netflix will be streaming the entire movie on Netflix on December 20.