'All I wanted was to be a conductor': Bradley Cooper's passion project 'Maestro' takes center stage

"All I wanted was to be a conductor since I was a kid" - These are the words of the man behind the Oscar-winning "A Star Is Born," Bradley Cooper, as he gears up for his next directorial venture, a Netflix biopic on the late music maestro Leonard Bernstein, as reported by Variety back in 2022.

Turning the Baton Over: Cooper Takes the Lead

Bradley Cooper is pulling double duty for this project, serving not only as the star of the film, portraying Bernstein himself, but also the one directing it. The White Elephant in the room? This is his directorial follow-up to the critically acclaimed and beloved "A Star Is Born."

Stepping into the shoes of a composer as iconic as the "West Side Story" legend is no small feat. However, Cooper's devotion to the project is evident. He co-wrote the screenplay and told Variety that "listening to music, falling in love with it and being able to really know every single moment of a piece... I could do it as if I know everything about it without really being able to speak the language, obviously."

Behind the Maestro: The Complexity of Bernstein's Life

The film promises to explore the complexity of Bernstein's life, including his sexual relationships with men, a fact that came to light after his death. Notably, Matt Bomer, known for his charismatic and versatile performances, will be playing one of Bernstein’s lovers in the film, a clarinet player with whom Bernstein had a brief relationship.

Adding to the star-studded cast, Carey Mulligan is set to bring Bernstein’s wife, Felicia Montealegre, to life. Bernstein left Montealegre in 1976 for a male radio station manager but returned to care for her after she was diagnosed with lung cancer.

A year after announcing the film, there is still no release date announced. Fans eagerly anticipate Cooper's take on Bernstein's legacy, a complex intertwining of music, love, and life.

(Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.)