Academy Award-nominated actor Bradley Cooper has opened up about his sobriety. He has also credited Will Arnett with helping him get sober in 2004.
Arnett joined Cooper for an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday, December 18, to promote their new film, “Is This Thing On?” The chat highlights their close friendship, but it was also an opportunity for the “American Sniper” actor to reflect on his 20 years of sobriety and how that may not have been possible without Arnett, who was there to give him tough love when he needed it.
Bradley Cooper’s Life-Changing Moment
Getty“Will took the risk of having that hard conversation with me that put me on the path of deciding to change my life. It is truly Will Arnett, he is the reason,” Cooper said. “And it helped that it was the guy I thought I was emulating. It’s not like somebody else said it. Like, the king told me.”
The two men have had a close friendship for decades, and were initially introduced by Arnett’s now ex-wife, Amy Poehler. The conversation about sobriety is one the actors have had publicly before. In June 2022, Cooper joined Arnett on his podcast, “SmartLess.” In the episode, both men showed vulnerability as they discussed a personal topic with honesty.
Reflecting on Cooper’s decision to speak so openly about his struggles, Arnett revealed how it had brought them closer. “I think it allowed us both to open up and talk about our shared history, and how profound and deep those connections were,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. From this moment, he and Cooper would spend more time together, eventually leading them to work on their new film, “Is This Thing On?” The film is a drama/comedy starring Cooper, Arnett, and Laura Dern and is scheduled for release this month.
“The whole movie rides on the internal evolution of this guy, and that’s a lot to put on your shoulders,” Cooper said. “And I thought, if I can be a part of that, that would be really, really exciting.”
Bradley Cooper Details Struggles & Sobriety
GettyIn his chat with Arnett for “SmartLess,” Cooper addressed his struggles with self-esteem and mental health. When he moved to Los Angeles for a role on “Alias,” he felt like he “was back in high school,” Cooper said on “SmartLess.” The complicated feelings that came with that were not good. “I could not get into any clubs; no girls wanted to look at me. I was totally depressed,” he said.
To compensate for how he felt, Cooper tried to be someone he was not, adopting a mean sense of humor that made him nasty to others. Arnett confronted him after one night, letting him know his behavior was uncalled for. It was this moment that changed everything for Cooper. “That was the first time I ever realized I had a problem with drugs and alcohol. The guy that I think is doing mean humor is telling me the truth, and it changed my entire life,” he said.
“I was so lost, and I was addicted to cocaine,” Cooper said. “Will took that risk of having that hard conversation with me in July of 2004, and that put me on a path of deciding to change my life. It truly was Will Arnett. He is the reason.”
