Netflix recently released the trailer for Bradley Cooper’s new movie ‘Maestro’. Many criticized the actor for his large prosthetic nose, describing the choice as an inauthentic depiction of the Jewish people known as ‘Jewface’.
Amongst all the criticism the actor received, from the rock community, Disturbed’s David Draiman chose to stand with Cooper against antisemitic claims. The frontman took to Twitter and wrote:
“This is such nonsense. He’s an actor. It’s called acting. ‘Jewface?’ Seriously? Tribe members please, we have much bigger problems to worry about. Stop it.”
The upcoming movie is a biographical romance about Leonard Bernstein played and directed by Cooper and his wife Felicia Montealegre played by Carey Mulligan. Once the online claims started to spread towards Bradley, the late conductor’s children took to Bernstein’s Twitter account to write a statement to defend the actor. They wrote:
“It breaks our hearts to see any misrepresentations or misunderstandings of his [Bradley Cooper] efforts. It happens to be true that Leonard Bernstein had a nice, big nose. Bradley chose to use makeup to amplify his resemblance, and we’re perfectly fine with that. We’re also certain that our dad would have been fine with it as well.”
Jamie, Alexander and Nina Bernstein also pointed out that these allegations were attempts to taint Cooper’s name, which they had previously experienced against their father. They added:
“Any strident complaints around this issue strike us above all as disingenuous attempts to bring a successful person down a notch — a practice we observed all too often perpetrated on our own father. At all times during the making of this film, we could feel the profound respect and yes, the love that Bradley brought to his portrait of Leonard Bernstein and his wife, our mother Felicia.”
You can read David Draiman’s and Leonard Bernstein’s children’s tweet below. You can also watch ‘Maestro’s trailer below.
This is such nonsense.
He’s an actor.
It’s called acting.
“Jewface”?
Seriously?
Tribe members please, we have MUCH bigger problems to worry about.
STOP IT. #BradleyCooper https://t.co/IM3pty5GHu
— David Draiman 🟦 (@davidmdraiman) August 16, 2023
(3/6) It happens to be true that Leonard Bernstein had a nice, big nose. Bradley chose to use makeup to amplify his resemblance, and we're perfectly fine with that. We're also certain that our dad would have been fine with it as well. pic.twitter.com/37tkIt016S
— Leonard Bernstein (@LennyBernstein) August 16, 2023
