Bradley Cooper has faced criticism online after he revealed his strict “no chairs on sets” policy while discussing his directing methods on his latest film Maestro in a new interview.
The Oscar-nominated actor, 48, appeared on a recent installment of Variety’s YouTube series, Directors on Directors, opposite legendary filmmaker Spike Lee.
Discussing how he likes to keep his crew engaged, Cooper shared: “There’s no chairs on sets; I’ve always hated chairs and I feel like your energy dips the minute you sit down in a chair.
“So apple boxes are a nice way to sit.”
He added that there is also “no video village” on his sets, where a director views the cast's performances from a set of monitors, and explained that he preferred to be more involved with the cast.
The Star is Born actor and director said: “I hate that. [I want to] create a sacred space where things are really occurring in real time.
“I actually think going back and watching it and hearing it, I think that’s a vulnerable thing for an actor to hear. No one likes the sound of their own voice anyway,” he shared, pulling from his experience as an actor.
“So I want to make actors feel safe to be fearless.”
The American Hustle star, who co-wrote, acted and directed Maestro, also revealed how he kept visits to his sets to a minimum as he wanted the set to be a “sanctuary” for those working on it.
He recalled: “When we shoot the movie, no one's allowed on set. [Producer] Steven Spielberg came three times, but other than him, there's nobody. It has to be a sanctuary.”
Despite wanting to maintain a certain energy on set, some online remarked that Cooper needed to “calm down” and criticised his filmmaking process.
One wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “It’s a film set not an Amazon warehouse, calm down Bradley.”
“For Bradley Cooper and everyone else who needs to hear it, you get the best work out of folks when they feel safe, included, and their needs are met,” another penned.
“If you have to create harsh conditions to get people to work, you are simply not good at leading. It’s a skill issue.”
A third quipped: “Bro you were in hangover relax” while another wrote: “Chairs on set are so people can rest for a minute during a long, exhausting day of achieving the director’s vision.
“The video village is so that all department heads can review how every element of the shot looks. It’s not about you, Bradley.”
The Standard has contacted Bradley Cooper's rep for comment.
