Bradley Cooper and his breakthrough with "American Sniper"

With his role as a veteran in American Sniper (2014), Bradley Cooper earned his third consecutive Oscar nomination, following Silver Lingerings Playbook and American Hustle. This also marked the first time the star of The Hangover worked with director Clint Eastwood – the 85-year-old filmmaker who has won four Oscars and is the creator of films such as Unforgiven (1992), The Bridges of Madison County (1995), and Million Dollar Baby (2004).

"Embodying American Sniper was a life-changing experience for me, completely," the romantic comedy star affirmed.

A film about the fate of America's best sniper.

The screenplay for American Sniper is based on the autobiography of the late soldier Chris Kyle. The full title of the autobiography is American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in US Military History. According to the memoir, Chris Kyle was born in Texas and was a cowboy who rode bulls at fairs. When the Iraq War broke out, Chris Kyle enlisted at age 25. Before going to Iraq, he had a brief romance and married Taya Renae. On his first mission in Iraq, he shot and killed a mother and her young child who were attempting to attack his comrades with grenades.

Bradley Cooper plays former American soldier Chris Kyle in "American Sniper".

From 2003 to 2009, Chris Kyle served in Iraq on four long assignments, while his wife stayed home to raise their two young children. On the battlefield, Chris was a legendary sniper, capable of taking down opponents from 800 meters away. After six years, Kyle was recognized as the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. Upon returning home, the veteran faced challenges in reintegrating into society. Ultimately, Chris died unexpectedly in a tragic situation in 2013, shortly after completing his autobiography.

"American Sniper changed my life."

Bradley Cooper revealed about his character Chris Kyle: “The role was a life-changing experience. It wasn't a goal, it was a mission, and I was very worried about whether I could do it. Initially, I lost sleep for many nights because I was so overwhelmed by the responsibility I had to carry in the film. When filming wrapped, I had gone through the role with great success and felt stronger. Whether the film is a success or a failure with the audience, I still gained a lot from it.”

Producer and screenwriter Jason Hall shared that Bradley Cooper ate continuously to gain 18kg, making him almost as fat as the real-life persona. “He ate every 55 minutes or an hour, about 8,000 calories a day.” For about three months before filming, Bradley Cooper woke up at 5 a.m. every day, went for a run, and then spent 2.5 hours doing strength training.

During the year-long preparation for the role, Bradley Cooper visited Chris Kyle's home and family to understand the character. The star also received private training from military experts on battlefield etiquette and sniper skills, learning how to use various firearms. “I immersed myself in the character mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, and in the living space before officially going to the set to film. I had to become the character before that character could be brought to life on screen through the story,” the actor said.

Bradley Cooper immersed himself in the role and felt satisfied with the result in "American Sniper".

The Hangover star's most nuanced role yet.

Bradley Cooper commented on the film: “This is more of a psychological drama than an Iraq War film. It has no political content whatsoever. It’s a story about people, delving into the inner lives of the characters and showing the crises a veteran goes through.”

Upon its wide release in North America on January 16th, American Sniper grossed $90 million in its opening weekend, equivalent to the opening weekend revenue of a blockbuster like The Amazing Spider-Man in 2013. The psychological drama set four records simultaneously: the highest-grossing January release of all time, the highest-grossing R-rated (restricted to audiences 17 and under) opening weekend of all time, the highest-grossing opening weekend for a Clint Eastwood director, and the highest-grossing Oscar-nominated opening weekend of all time.

“American Sniper is Bradley Cooper’s film. This is the most psychologically profound role the actor has ever played,” Screen Daily commented. Meanwhile, the real-life wife said of Bradley Cooper’s performance: “The film is authentic because Bradley has soul. He absorbed all the emotions a soldier like Chris goes through and made me feel like it was Chris.”

Brent Gleeson, a former Marine SEAL and Chris Kyle's real-life teammate, commented: "There were times I forgot whether I was watching Bradley Cooper or Chris on screen. Bradley Cooper honored veterans in a fantastic way."

A fleeting wedding scene at the beginning of "American Sniper".

In the eyes of critics, American Sniper is considered a continuation of the war stories that Hollywood has been making for the past 40 years, such as The Hurt Locker, Born on the Fourth of July, or Flags of Our Father. "This is the missing piece about soldiers fighting in Iraq that The Hurt Locker was missing," Todd McCarthy wrote in The Hollywood Reporter.

“Only Clint Eastwood could make a film about a veteran with so much doubt and inner turmoil,” Joshua Rothkopf wrote in Time Out New York. The Boston Globe wrote: “God, family, and country are all in American Sniper.” The film was ranked among the top 10 films of 2014 by the American Critics Association. However, it was also criticized for its extreme American perspective on the Iraq War, rather than simply depicting the life of a soldier.

American Sniper also surpassed many other works, receiving 6 nominations at the 87th Academy Awards, including "Best Picture," "Best Actor," "Best Adapted Screenplay," "Best Editing," "Best Sound Editing," and "Best Sound Mixing."

With his distinctive role, Bradley Cooper is competing against four other colleagues, including veteran star Michael Keaton and British talent Eddie Redmayne, for a chance to win the Oscar this year.

According to VNE