Sean Penn Wrote An Essay In Defense Of Bradley Cooper Not Getting A Best Director Oscar Nom
#MeToo scholar Sean Penn has outed himself as a huge A Star Is Born (2018) stan. Judging by his op-ed protesting the embarrassed Bradley Cooper not being nominated for Best Director at the Oscars, he’s seen this movie 17 times so far and it’s made him believe in love again. In an op-ed piece for Deadline, Sean says that Cooper has a problem and that problem is that he made “the most successful contemporary love story of all time.” Damn. That’s some film love. That shit should be a quote on the poster with a profile picture of Sean done up as one of Lady Gaga’s Little Monsters.
A Star Is Born is up for seven Oscars, including Best Picture and one for Bradley for Best Actor. He also got a nomination for helping to write the script. Unfortunately for Bradley’s self-esteem, he didn’t get the Best Director nod. Robbed, they all cried! The snub is just one more reason for SeanPenn’s love for movies to have become a smoking hole in the ground. And to paraphrase him, you Academy people done fucked up for not nominating him.
It has been so long since we have been able to equate a success or a love story with high art or artists that we may well have forgotten how. And now, with A Star is Born’s eight nominations for Academy Awards, the problem is likely to be exposed. “Bradley is a star.” “He’s young… he’ll have plenty of opportunities.” If this, as I suspect, explains outcomes in other awards voting, voters will have certainly missed the point. This isn’t Bradley Cooper’s opportunity, it’s theirs to appreciate the depth and value of this film before its legacy outlasts their chance to participate in it.
You could have participated in it but you chose not to, you anti-art heathens!
The film has grossed over $417 million worldwide and received critical acclaim, with praise for Cooper, Gaga, and Elliott’s performances and Cooper’s direction, as well as the screenplay, cinematography and music. It was chosen by both the National Board of Review and American Film Institute as one of the Top 10 Films of 2018. The film received numerous accolades, including five nominations at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, winning Best Original Song for Gaga’s “Shallow”. The film also received eight nominations at the 91st Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Cooper), Best Actress (Gaga), Best Supporting Actor (Elliott) and Best Original Song (“Shallow”).
Er, maybe Sean doesn’t have access to Wikipedia? Seems participatory and embraced to me. *shrugs*
And man, did Sean Penn LOVE THIS MOVIE. This loving tribute included everything but him insulting Judy Garland’s performance in the 1954 version.
It is the achievement of one artist who had the courage to stand naked and jump from the edge of a vertical cliff, bringing his whole cast and crew with him, and simultaneously catch their fall. It’s a triumph.
Like LOVED IT. Loved it more than being cranky and not combing his hair anymore.
It’s just such a gift. Clear minds and hearts cannot possibly deny it its due. It’s over and over again one of my favorite films of all time, harkening back to the essential filmmaking of Hal Ashby.
And then, speaking of Bradley Cooper naked, he closes with some musing about the Oscar statue’s junk.
To spare myself potential disappointment, I’m raising a glass in advance to Bradley Cooper and A Star is Born. Surely a raised glass is as legitimate as a globe of gilded gold or a male statuette minus a penis (also gold gilded). God forbid it have balls this year!
So I guess this means that A Star Is Born is going to lose in every category now. Good going, Sean!
And all this penis referencing makes sense because Penn’s Deadline piece is pretty much him fellating Bradley Cooper over and over. Even Victor Garber paused once in awhile for brunch and to look sexy on Alias, Sean.
Pic: Wenn.com