One of the Unluckiest Actor at Oscars: How Many Oscar Nominations Does Bradley Cooper Have?

Bradley Cooper may seem a perfectionist as he can act, direct, and even write. But one thing he has significantly failed at is winning an Oscar, despite being nominated almost 12 times.

Many fans have even started believing that Bradley Cooper is under the famous Hollywood curse that does not allow the actor to secure a well-deserved Oscar win. The curse emerged after All My Children legend Susan Lucci was blessed with 21 Emmy nominations, but unfortunately only secured one.

This year might be Cooper’s chance to win the first gold statuette under his name after 2012, which marked the actor’s unfortunate Oscars journey. The American Sniper star has received three Oscar nominations for this year’s grand night, including one for Best Actor.

Bradley Cooper’s Oscars Journey: How Many Nods Did He Receive This Year?

It was in 2012 when Bradley Cooper’s acting skills were acknowledged with his first Oscar nod, and who would have thought that even after a decade, the actor would continue to expect his first win? The actor, writer, and director hasn’t secured any Academy Awards despite his 12 nominations, three of which are for his recent work in last year’s film Maestro.

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Out of the total 12 Oscar nods, Cooper received four Best Actor, and the remaining nominations include five Best Picture nominees, one Best Supporting Actor nominee in 2013, one Best Adapted Screenplay nominee, and one Best Original Screenplay nominee.

His portrayal of composer Leonard Bernstein in the biographical drama Maestro has been widely praised, and for playing an LGBTQ character, earning three total nods. The major films that earned Bradley Cooper Best Actor nods are:

Best Actor Nominee for Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

This was Bradley Cooper’s first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, for his role as Pat Solitano Jr., a man with bipolar disorder. The film showcases the powerful story of a man, whose life is filled with challenges and struggles after crossing paths with Jennifer Lawrence‘s Tiffany. Despite the highly acclaimed film, Cooper was defeated by Daniel Day-Lewis‘s performance in Lincoln.

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Best Actor Nominee for American Sniper (2014)

Two years later, after transforming into a successful actor and prominent figure in the industry, Bradley Copper received the second nod for Best Actor. Directed by Clint Eastwood, and based on the memoir of the same name. American Sniper features Cooper in the leading role of military sniper Chris Kyle. However, the actor was again ignored and Eddie Redmayne helmed the accolade for his role in The Theory of Everything.

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Best Actor Nominee for A Star is Born (2018)

Bradley Cooper acted, directed, co-wrote, and co-produced for A Star Is Born, in which he portrayed Jackson Maine, an alcoholic and faded county singer. The film also featured Lady Gaga as a young singer, and Cooper’s Jackson falls in love with her. It felt like 2018 was Bradley Cooper’s year to walk away with the prestigious award, but was beaten by Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody. 

After losing in major categories, along with other nods that Bradley Cooper received, many fans started to believe that the actor was under a curse that wouldn’t allow him to win an Academy Award. However, Susan Lucci recently got her first Emmy, implying Cooper still has a chance this year.

Best Actor Nominee For Maestro (2023)

This marks Bradley Cooper’s fifth and most recent Oscar nomination for Best Actor. The actor even wore a prosthetic nose to bring authenticity to his portrayal of composer Leonard Bernstein. The leading character is a bisexual man struggling with severe alcoholism. Since the film was based on the real-life composer’s life, Cooper remained in touch with Bernstein while shooting Maestro.

However, this year’s competition might be the toughest for Bradley Cooper as his competitors include some of the most talented and renowned figures like Cillian Murphy, Colman Domingo, Jeffrey Wright, and Paul Giamatti. The biggest 2024 Oscars snub is Margot Robbie in the major category for her role in Barbie.