Bradley Cooper Jewface: actor’s prosthetic nose in Leonard Bernstein Netflix biopic Maestro sparks controversy

The trailer for new Netflixfilm Maestro, starring Bradley Cooper as composer Leonard Bernstein and Carey Mulligan as his wife Felicia Montealegre, was released yesterday (15 August) and has already provoked a backlash.  

The trailer shows actor Bradley Cooper in the role of Bernstein, and the star is clearly wearing a prosthetic nose to play the American Jewish composer. 

Maestro has been criticised for the use of ‘Jewface’ - making non-Jewish actors look stereotypically Jewish for roles, which some believe is as offensive as blackface.

The film was originally set to be directed by Steven Spielberg, who is a producer on the project, but he decided to give it to Cooper to direct after seeing an early cut of A Star is Born. Cooper is not Jewish - he is a Christian, born to an Irish American father and Italian American mother, and was raised in the church. 

Carey Mulligan has also been criticised for playing a Costa Rican woman, despite being a white English actress.

What is Maestro about?

Maestro is a romantic drama biographical film about Bernstein’s relationship with his wife. The official synopsis for the film states: “A love letter to life and art, Maestro, at its core, is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love.”

Leonard Bernstein was a gay man, but, uncomfortable with living as openly gay in the 1950s, he married actress Felicia Montealegre Cohn in 1951 - the couple had three children together. Bernstein had affairs with men and women throughout his life.

In 1977 Felicia was diagnosed with lung cancer and Bernstein cared for her until her death the following year.  

Bernstein died of a heart attack in 1990, aged 72, five days after announcing his retirement from conducting. He is buried beside his wife.

What have critics said about Bradley Cooper ‘Jewface’ controversy?

Jewish actress Tracy-Ann Oberman took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her views on the decision to give Cooper a prosthetic nose for his role.

She wrote: “If Bradley Cooper green lights your film to play the Jewish composer Bernstein and you want him over a Jewish A-Lister who can equally play that role – then let Bradley Cooper’s acting be so magnificent and truthful that the character of Bernstein shines through what he already looks like.

“If he needs to wear a prosthetic nose then that is, to me and many others, the equivalent of Black-Face or Yellow-Face. If Bradley Cooper can’t do it through the power or acting alone then don’t cast him – get a Jewish Actor.”

US organisation Stop Antisemitism also weighed in on the conversation on X, posting: “Hollywood cast Bradley Cooper - a non Jew - to play Jewish legend Leonard Bernstein and stuck a disgusting exaggerated ‘Jew nose’ on him.

“All while saying no to Jake Gyllenhaal, an actually (sic) Jewish man, who has dreamt of playing Bernstein for decades. Sickening.”

Others have referred to the prosthetic as a ‘joke shop’ nose, and ‘comically offensive’, although some have suggested that because Bernstein himself had a large nose, the backlash is uncalled for.

Journalist Brian Krassenstein posted: “As a Jewish man, here are my thoughts on all the outrage: Relax! Movies are art. An actor's job is to portray the character they play to the best of their ability. I'm Jewish. My nose is large. Many jewish people's noses are large. It's just a fact.  

“Stop trying to find things to be angry about.  Bernstein was one of the most important conductors of his time, and I'm sure Cooper does an amazing job at portraying his life.  We all focus on the wrong things."